c 


FUEO  M.  DKWlTT 


A  Business  Venture  in  Los  Angeles 
or 

A  Christian  Optimist 


J 


A  Business  Venture 
In  Los  Angeles 


or 


A    Christian    Optimist 


BY 


Illustrated .  by 
PHILIP    HUBERT    FROHMAN 


CINCINNATI 
THE  ROBERT  CLARKE  COMPANY 

1899 


COPYRIGHT,  1899, 

BY 

THE  ROBERT  CLARKE  COMPANY. 


A  Business  Venture  in  Los  Angeles? 

OR, 

A   CHRISTIAN    OPTIMIST. 


CHAPTER  I. 

"  I  really  can  not  see  what  we  are  to  do,"  remarked 
Gladys  Grayston,  as  she  helped  her  sister  to  clear 
away  the  few  dishes  they  had  used  for  their  luncheon. 
' '  I  have  not  the  slightest  idea  of  what  is  to  become 
of  us." 

She  spoke  in  her  usual  calm,  dignified  manner,  as 
though  she  might  have  been  commenting  upon  the 
state  of  the  weather. 

"  Neither  have  I,"  assented  Edna,  in  a  doleful  tone, 
contrasting  strangely  with  her  rosy,  smiling  counte- 
nance. 

Then,  their  work  ended,  both  seated  themselves — 
Gladys  with  an  unopened  book  in  hand,  Edna  near 
the  window,  out  of  which  she  glanced  idly  from  time 
to  time. 

The  sisters  were  living  in  a  room  on  the  first  floor 
of  a  modest-looking  two-story  house  in  the  city  of 
IvOS  Angeles.  Upon  a  small  plot  directly  in  front  of 
their  window,  partially  hiding  the  street  from  view, 
was  a  palm  tree,  while  opposite  it,  upon  a  similar  grass 
plot,  stood  an  evergreen  whose  spreading  branches 


2  A   BUSINESS   VENTURE;    OR, 

nearly  reached  the  ground.  About  a  dozen  Calla 
lilies  reared  their  snowy  heads  in  a  narrow  bed,  where 
a  few  other  plants  were  struggling  against  the  com- 
bined influences  of  too  much  shade  and  too  little 
water.  The  day  was  an  ideal  one  in  early  November. 

' 'If  only,"  continued  Gladys,  musingly,  "we  had 
been  brought  up  to  do  any  one  thing  thoroughly — in 
fact,  if  we  had  had  the  progressive  style  of  training 
of  the  present  day  !  I  used  to  think  how  lovely  it  was 
for  a  woman  to  have  an  all-around  sort  of  education  ; 
to  combine  in  one — to  a  moderate  degree,  of  course — 
author,  artist,  musician,  linguist,  etc.,  together  with 
all  the  grace  and  elegance  necessary  to  adorn  the 
whole.  But  now — 

"Behold  the  finished  result!"  Edna  laughingly 
interrupted,  as  she  pointed  to  her  sister. 

' '  Yes, ' '  Gladys  coolly  replied  ;  ' '  Kudora  and  I  are 
pretty  fair  specimens  of  that  style  of  training — as  far 
as  it  went !  You  were  not  old  enough  to  progress 
very — ' ' 

"And  never  would,  if  I  lived  to  the  age  of  Methu- 
saleh,"  again  interrupted  Kdna. 

"You  are  probably  right,  Ducksie  ;  I  really  think 
you  never  would.  But,  behold  the  result,  as  you  say. 
We  are  absolutely  useless,  as  far  as  anything  practical 
is  concerned.  Matters  might  have  been  different  if 
our  dear  mother  had  lived  to  direct  our  education  ;  but 
Mademoiselle  was  hardly  capable  of  developing  the 
qualities  necessary  for  battling  against  the  storms  of 
life.  We  are  admirably  adapted  for  basking  in  the 
sunshine  ;  the  trouble  is,  the  sun  is  not  always  shin- 
ing, as  we  have  been  rapidly  finding  out  of  late.  Of 


A   CHRISTIAN   OPTIMIST.  3 

course  if — if  everything  had  gone  on  smoothly,  we 
should  have  had  no  necessity  for  struggling.  As 
matters  are,  a  more  practical  training  would  find  us  in 
an  entirely  different  position. ' ' 

Tears  filled  Edna's  eyes. 

"O,  Gladys,  it  sounds  as  if  you  were  blaming  dear 
father,  and  I  am  sure  he  did  his  very  best  for  us.  It 
was  not  his  fault  that  we  are  left  with  only  a  few 
hundreds  of  dollars  instead  of  some  hundreds  of  thou- 
sands, as  would  have  been  the  case  if  he  had  not  died 
so  suddenly" — sobs  choked  her  voice. 

"Of  course  it  was  not  his  fault,"  replied  Gladys,  in 
the  cold  tone  peculiar  to  her  when  annoyed.  "No  one 
dreams  of  accusing  him  of  such  a  thing,  Edna.  I  do 
beg  of  you  occasionally  to  rein  in  that  lively  imagina- 
tion of  yours.  He  had  us  educated  in  precisely  the 
manner  in  which  his  own  sister  was  educated;  and  he 
always  considered  her  a  model  of  all  that  was  ad- 
mirable in  woman. ' ' 

"Well,  Aunt  Julia  is  lovely,"  returned  Edna,  who 
had  already  recovered  her  composure.  ' '  Just  as  sweet 
and  charming  as  can  be. " 

"Certainly,  Edna.  No  one  disputes  that  fact.  But 
if,  for  example,  she  were  suddenly  placed  in  the  posi- 
tion we  are  in,  she  is  not  one  particle  better  fitted  to 
make  her  way  through  life  than  we  are.  By  the  bye, 
I  wonder  whether  our  letters  ever  reached  them, 
traveling  about,  as  they  do,  in  such  outlandish  places. 
Even  allowing  for  delay,  we  surely  ought  to  have  re- 
ceived an  answer  by  this  time.  Poor  Eudora!  What 
a  shock  to  her!  I  am  glad  her  year  of  foreign  travel 
was  nearly  over  before  this  sorrow  came. ' ' 


4  A   BUSINESS  VKNTURK;   OR, 

"I  wonder,"  remarked  Edna,  hesitatingly,  "whether 
she  will  not  return  to  us  when  she  hears" — she 
paused. 

"No,  indeed,"  said  Gladys,  more  hastily  than  was 
her  wont  in  speaking.  "I  hope  not — though  of  course 
it  would  be  pleasant  to  have  her.  She  is  happy  with 
Aunt  Julia,  who  will  be  only  too  glad  to  keep  her  alto- 
gether. Their  temperaments  do  not  clash,  as  hers  and 
ours  were  apt  to  do  at  times,  though  doubtless  there 
was  fault  on  both  sides.  At  any  rate,  we  shall  have 
the  comfort  of  knowing  that  at  least  one  of  us  is  pro- 
vided for." 

At  this  moment  a  cab  stopped  in  front  of  the  door. 
Edna  hastily  shifted  her  position  to  an  unseen  one  be- 
hind the  curtain. 

"There's  a  lady  getting  out,"  she  announced.  "A 
visitor,  I  suppose,  to  Mrs.  Smith.  Why,  Gladys,  she 
looks  like — it  can't  be — I  really  believe,  though — yes, 
it  is — why  Gladys,  it 's  Eudora  herself!  " 

And  the  two  girls  ran  into  the  hall,  where  the  maid 
was  already  opening  the  door  to  admit  a  young  lady. 
"Eudora!"  "You  dear  girls!"  And  as  they  drew 
their  sister  into  their  room  and  closed  the  door,  they 
forgot  incompatibility  of  disposition  and  everything 
else  disagreeable,  as  they  realized  that  one  of  their 
very  own  was  again  beside  them,  and  not  only  so,  but 
that  she  had,  presumably  of  her  own  accord,  left  a 
home  of  luxury  to  share  their  life  of  privation  and 
toil.  For  a  moment  there  was  silence,  while  tears 
flowed  from  all  eyes.  Each  remembered  that  the  last 
time  they  were  together,  the  dear  father  was  among 
them,  and  had  been  the  very  merriest  of  the  little 


A   CHRISTIAN   OPTIMIST.  5 

party  who  had  waved  a  gopd-bye  to  Eudora  as  the 
steamer  slowly  left  her  moorings.  But  speedily  the 
tears  were  dried,  and  questions  and  answers  succeeded 
each  other  with  marvelous  rapidity.  Eudora  ex- 
plained that  the  letters  containing  the  sad  news  had 
not  reached  them  until  quite  lately — that  Aunt  Julia 
had  at  once  decided  to  come  over  with  her,  but  that 
Uncle  Bertram  had  met  with  an  accident,  not  serious, 
but  which,  combined  with  some  business  troubles,  had 
made  her  unwilling  to  leave  him. 

"Where  did  our  letters  reach  you?"  inquired 
Gladys. 

"In  Vienna.  We  had  been  staying  for  three  weeks 
at  a  remote  village  in  Switzerland,  and,  though  Uncle 
Bertram  had  left  orders  for  our  letters  to  be  forwarded, 
there  was  some  misunderstanding,  so  that  when  we  re- 
turned to  Vienna,  a  whole  budget  was  awaiting  us." 

"What  a  shock  it  must  have  been,"  said  Edna,  "to 
have  all  the  bad  news  meet  you  at  once. ' ' 

"It  was,  indeed,"  replied  Eudora,  quietly,  and  it 
seemed  to  Gladys  and  Edna  that  there  was  almost  in- 
difference in  her  tone.  "But  now,  girls,  tell  me  ex- 
actly how  you  are  situated.  How  long  have  you  been 
in  this  house  ?  I  went  to  your  former  address,  and 
they  directed  me  here. ' ' 

"We  came  here  two  weeks  ago,"  replied  Gladys. 
"Of  course  we  could  not  stay  at  an  expensive  hotel; 
this  is  nearly  the  opposite  extreme.  You  know  we 
left  New  York  two  months  ago,  just  after  that  serious 
illness  of  father's,  and  we  were  looking  about  for  a 
suitable  house  in  which  to  settle  for  the  winter, 
when — ' ' 


6  A   BUSINESS   VENTURE;    OR, 

"Yes,  I  know,"  interrupted  Kudora.  "You  poor, 
dear  girls!  All  alone  in  a  strange  place,  and  sudden 
poverty  added  to  your  other  troubles!  When  I  read 
your  letters,  I  just  felt  as  if  I  must  fly  to  you — though 
you  did  not  seem  to  expect  that  I  would  come. ' '  This 
was  said  inquiringly. 

"No,"  said  Gladys,  in  some  confusion,  as  she  and 
Kdna  glanced  at  each  other,  "we  thought  as  you  were 
so  comfortable  with  Aunt  Julia,  there  was  no  use  in 
making  three  unhappy  instead  of  two,  and — " 

"And  you  also  felt,"  interrupted  Kudora,  smilingly, 
"that  I  would  not  be  much  of  a  comfort — in  fact, 
quite  the  contrary.  Now,  honestly,  girls,  didn't  you? 
Never  mind  answering — I  don't  blame  you  at  all.  But 
I  mean  you  to  find  out  how  mistaken  you  were,  and  to 
acknowledge  before  long  that  three  heads  are  a  great 
deal  better  than  two. ' ' 

They  were  already  feeling  it.  Certainly  this  Kudora 
was  very  different  from  the  proud,  fault-finding  girl  of 
two  years  ago.  It  was  not  so  much  that  her  counte- 
nance was  changed — was  brighter,  gentler,  calmer 
than  of  yore — but  there  was  a  something  that  could 
be  felt;  something  which  made  her  sisters  feel  in- 
stinctively that  a  comforter  had  indeed  come  to  them; 
that  they  were  the  stronger,  the  happier  for  her  com- 
ing. So  it  was  with  entire  truth  that  Gladys  answered 
for  both: 

"We  are  delighted  to  have  you  with  us  again,  dear 
Kudora!" 

"Now,  before  we  enter  into  any  discussion  as  to 
future  ways  and  means,"  said  Kudora,  "tell  me  how 
you  are  situated  at  present.  Is  this  your  only  room  ?' ' 


A   CHRISTIAN   OPTIMIST.  7 

"Yes,"  replied  Gladys,"  and  I  was  just  considering 
where  we  should  put  you  to  sleep.  O,  I  know.  Mrs. 
Smith  has  a  cot-bed,  and  I  dare  say  she  will  lend  it  to 
us  for  the  present.  Edna,  suppose  you  go  and  see 
about  it?" 

And  shortly  Edna  returned,  reporting  a  favorable 
answer. 

"So  that  is  settled,"  said  Eudora.  "Now,  girls, 
another  important  question  comes  up.  When  do  you 
have  dinner  ?  For  I  am  really  hungry,  as  it  must  be 
about  six  hours  since  I  have  had  anything  to  eat." 

"I  will  get  you  some  luncheon  directly,"  said 
Gladys.  "But  you  must  put  up  with  rather  awkward 
accommodations,  Eudora.  We  get  our  meals  ourselves 
here  in  our  room — on  that  little  oil-stove,  which  serves 
as  heater  also.  Now  here" — going  to  a  corner  cup- 
board in  front  of  which  a  curtain  was  hung — "here 
are  bread  and  butter,  cold  tongue,  and  jelly.  That 
will  take  the  edge  off  your  appetite,  and  towards  even- 
ing we  shall  get  something  for  dinner  from  the  restau- 
rant, of  which  there  are  any  number  in  this  place." 

And  Gladys  and  Edna  looked  somewhat  anxiously 
at  their  sister,  to  note  the  effect  of  these  words,  but 
Eudora  did  not  seem  shocked,  nor  even  surprised. 

"That  is  nothing  new  to  me,"  she  said,  lightly, 
"there  are  so  many  such  places  abroad  in  the  towns 
where  students  congregate.  They  usually  hire  rooms 
and  buy  provisions  ready  cooked  to  take  home  with 
them.  A  number  of  them  had  rooms  close  to  our  hotel, 
and  Aunt  Julia  someway  became  acquinted  with  them, 
and  invited  them  often  over  of  evenings  to  our  sitting- 


8 


A   BUSINESS   VENTURE;    OR, 


room,    where   she   had    refreshments   for   them — and 
they  did  so  enjoy  it,  as  I  am  now  about  to  do." 

So  saying,  she  seated  herself  at  the  small  table,  and 
while  she  is  engaged  in  the  discussion  of  what  lay 
thereon,  let  us  take  a  glance  at  the  outward  appear- 
ance of  the  three  girls. 


A   CHRISTIAN   OPTIMIST. 


CHAPTER    II. 

Gladys  was  twenty-six  years  old.  She  was  tall, 
with  dark  eyes  and  hair,  a  clear  pale  complexion, 
good  features,  and  with  a  general  air  of  refinement 
and  grace  which  justified  strangers  in  pronouncing 
her  a  most  interesting-looking  girl.  Kudora  was 
twenty-three,  also  tall  and  slender,  with  fair  com- 
plexion, brown  hair  and  gray  eyes ;  as  refined  in 
appearance  as  her  sister,  with  more  actual  claim  to 
beauty,  though  hardly  what  is  usually  termed  a 
' 'beauty."  Edna  was  eighteen,  short,  stout,  rosy, 
with  blue  eyes  and  golden  hair  ;  so  much  the  opposite 
of  her  sisters  that  strangers  were  surprised  to  hear  of 
the  relationship.  "If  I  only  had  any  style  like  you 
or  Eudora,"  she  would  sometimes  ruefully  exclaim, 
"it  would  be  something  of  a  compensation  for  my 
dumpiness,  greenish  blue  eyes  and  no  complexion  to 
speak  of."  "But  you  have  a  clear,  healthy  color," 
Gladys  would  sometimes  say.  '  'And  what  about  your 
lovely  hair  ?  "  '  'O,  that  is  rather  an  aggravation.  It' s 
really  provoking,  when  people  who  have  only  seen  my 
back  try  to  get  a  look  at  my  face,  and  then  seem  disap- 
pointed at  the  discordance  between  the  two."  "Non- 
sense, Edna,"  Gladys  would  say  laughingly."  "What 
an  imagination  you  have  !"  But  there  was  a  good  deal 
of  truth  in  it,  after  all.  Their  characters  will  develop 
as  the  story  progresses. 

"Where  are  your  trunks,  Eudora?  "  asked  Edna  as 
she  cleared  away  the  remains  of  her  sister's  repast. 


10  A   BUSINKSS   VKNTURK;    OR, 

"They  will  be  here  presently,  I  presume.  But, 
girls,  what  exquisite  flowers  in  those  beautiful  grounds 
opposite  us !  Why,  there  are  white  roses  actually 
climbing  clear  to  the  peak  of  that  Gothic  roof  !  And 
what  a  variety  of  other  kinds  of  roses  all  about  !  And 
what  are  those  tall  bushes  of  red  flowers  over  there?" 

"Some  are  fuchsias,"  replied  Gladys,  "and  some 
geraniums.  They  grow  to  nearly  trees  here.  Yes, 
they  are  very  beautiful,  though  we  can  hardly  see 
them  for  this  mass  of  shade  just  in  front  of  our 
windows.  But  perhaps  it  is  just  as  well,  for  they  do 
make  this  poor  little  yard  look  so  mean  by  contrast. ' ' 

"I  should  not  have  thought  of  the  matter  in  that 
way  at  all,"  said  Eudora.  "They  are  only  a  part  of 
our  Father's  great  garden,  and  we  have  as  much 
right  to  enjoy  looking  at  them  as  those  who  call 
them  their  very  own.  But  now  I  shall  take  this 
comfortable  rocking-chair,  as  I  am  supposed  to  be 
tired,  and  I  will  tell  you  about  my  journey,  and  about 
Aunt  Julia,  and  everything  you  want  to  know  ;  and 
then  you  shall  tell  me  all  I  want  to  know. ' ' 

For  two  hours  or  more  a  lively  conversation  ensued 
— sometimes  gay,  oftener  serious,  sometimes  even  tear- 
ful. Finally  a  long  pause  ;  then  Kudora  broke  the 
silence.  "And  now,  girls,  the  question  comes  up, 
What  are  we  going  to  do  for  our  future  support? 
One  thousand  dollars  in  bank,  about  sixty  you  say 
you  have  on  hand,  and  one  hundred  which  Uncle 
Bertram  gave  me  when  I  was  leaving,  are  not  going 
to  carry  us  very  far,  and  the  sooner  we  do  something 
to  save  our  drawing  further  on  our  little  stock  the 
better." 


A   CHRISTIAN   OPTIMIST.  II 

"Of  course,"  said  Gladys,  ''that  is  just  what  we 
were  speaking  about  when  you  arrived.  Our  Boston 
cousins  have  invited  us  to  spend  a  year  with  them, 
and  we  have  had  several  offers  from  old  friends  in 
New  York  to  make  them  visits  of  indefinite  length, 
but  Edna  and  I  decided  that  we  did  not  wish  to  accept 
any  of  these  offers  ;  perhaps  you  feel  differently." 

"No,  indeed,"  replied  Eudora,  "I  think  you  are 
quite  right.  Since  sooner  or  later  we  must  make  our 
own  living,  the  quicker  we  begin  the  better.  It  is 
easier,  too,  to  launch  out  independently  in  a  strange 
place  than  where  we  would  be  hampered  by  former 
circumstances  and  by  the  conflicting  views  of  friends. 
Have  you  thought  of  anything  special,  Gladys?" 

"O,  of  course  I  thought  of  teaching,  as  the  most  re- 
spectable thing  for  girls  in  our  position.  But  the  fact 
is,  Eudora,  I  don't  know  how.  Mademoiselle  was  very 
good  in  certain  ways,  and  gave  us  an  admirable  kind 
of  finish — so  said  our  friends.  But  this  is  a  practical 
age,  and  people  have  to  understand  things  thoroughly 
or  keep  in  the  background.  Arithmetic,  for  example. 
I  never  liked  it,  nor  you  either,  Eudora,  and  you  re- 
member how  easily  Mademoiselle  let  us  off  when  we 
pleaded  a  headache;  in  fact,  I  used  to  detect  a  gleam 
of  satisfaction  in  her  eyes  on  such  occasions,  and  I  am 
convinced  now  that  she  did  not  know  much  about  it 
herself." 

"Yes,"  added  Edna,  "Once  I  asked  her  to  explain 
a  problem,  and  she  made  some  excuse  to  go  up- 
stairs. I  had  to  go  to  her  room  a  few  minutes  after  to 
give  her  a  message,  and  there  was  a  Key  to  Arithme- 


12  A   BUSINESS   VKNTURB;    OR, 

tic  lying  open  on  her  bed.     She  had  forgotten  to  hide 
it." 

All  laughed,  and  then  Kudora  said,  "But  she  was 
very  good  in  most  things,  and  of  course  she  had  no 
idea  that  we  should  ever  have  occasion  to  put  our 
learning  to  practical  account.  However,  we  may  as 
well  admit  that  as  teachers  we  should  be  failures. 
What  then?" 

"I  have  no  idea,"  said  Gladys.  "But  just  think, 
Eudora!  Mr.  Crescent,  father's  old  friend,  who  spends 
his  winters  in  L,os  Angeles — at  least  he  has  lately— 
came  the  other  day  to  propose  that  we  should  open  a 
little  book-store!  He  said  there  was  a  stock  for  sale 
at  a  very  low  price,  and  that  it  was  a  chance  in  a  hun- 
dred. Just  think,  Eudora!  The  idea  of  us  keeping 
store!" 

"Why  not?"  asked  her  sister,  quietly.  "I  knew 
there  must  be  something  waiting  for  us  somewhere,  and 
probably  this  is  the  very  thing. ' ' 

"Eudora!"  burst  forth  simultaneously  from  Gladys 
and  Edna,  the  latter  adding:  "You  surely  don't  mean 
it!" 

'  'Why  not,  girls  ?  Since  we  must  make  our  living, 
and  can't  teach,  and  nothing  else  offers  itself,  I  don't 
see  why  keeping  store  would  not  do  as  well  as  other 
things.  In  this  age,  women  can  do  almost  anything 
respectable  and  hot  lose  caste,  unless  with  those  whose 
good  opinion  is  not  worth  having.  Besides,  girls,  I  have 
been  learning  of  late  that  when  one  is  in  need  of  some- 
thing, and  watching  for  that  something  to  turn  up,  it 
is  wise  to  accept,  or  at  least  to  consider  carefully,  the. 
first  thing  that  presents  itself,  whether  it  be  precisely 


A   CHRISTIAN   OPTIMIST.  13 

to  one's  taste  or  not.  But  tell  me  more  about  this 
business,  Gladys." 

"I  can't,  indeed.  I  did  not  ask  for  particulars,  as 
I  had  not  the  remotest  idea  of  considering  the  matter 
seriously.  However,  if  you  care  to  know  the  details, 
Mr.  Crescent  is  to  be  here  this  evening.  He  has 
kindly  taken  charge  of  our  business  affairs  since 
father  died — I  might  say  of  us,  too.  He  is  an  elderly 
widower,  with  a  married  daughter  living  in  New 
York;  a  most  agreeable,  kind-hearted  man;  indeed,  I 
do  not  know  what  we  should  have  done  without  him." 

"Somebody  else  would  have  come  to  the  rescue," 
said  Eudora,  smilingly. 

"Now,  Eudora,"  said  Edna,  decidedly,  "I  just  want 
you  to  tell  us  what  is  the  matter.  You  are  the  most 
changed  girl  I  ever  saw.  Here  we  were  expecting 
you  to  grumble  at  everything,  to  be  shocked  at  this, 
that  and  the  other,  and — and — 

"And  in  fact,  to  make  myself  a  general  nuisance, 
isn't  that  what  you  mean,  Edna?  Well,  girls,  I  will 
tell  you  all  about  it  in  a  few  words.  About  a  year 
ago,  we  went  to  board  for  several  weeks  in  a  family 
of  practical  Christian  people.  There,  by  degrees, 
everything  changed  for  me.  Like  yourself,  Gladys,  I 
had  been  a  church  member  for  several  years,  and  I 
considered  myself  as  good  as  the  average,  to  say  the 
least — better,  probably,  than  many.  There  I  learned 
that  to  be  a  Christian  really,  is  to  live  the  Christ 
life — to  take  His  teachings  literally,  and  to  act  them 
out  from  day  to  day — to  believe  that  He  dwells  within 
us  through  His  spirit  as  He  promised,  and  that  this 
indwelling  makes  all  •  things  possible  for  us,  and  to 


14  A   BUSINESS  VENTURE  J    OR, 

know  that  all  things  are  working  for  our  good.  Not 
to  look  back  remorsefully  on  the  past,  or  forebodingly 
011  the  future,  but  to  do  the  best  we  can  this  very  day, 
this  very  minute,  trusting  the  Father  for  everything — 
health,  strength,  wisdom,  love,  peace,  joy,  prosperity — 
everything  good,  and  giving  Him  thanks  always,  for 
all  things,  in  the  name  of  our  L,ord  and  Savior  Jesus 
Christ.  And  O,  girls,  what  a  happy,  care- free  life  it 
is!  But  I  am  only  learning  it,  you  know,  and  we 
shall  learn  it  together,  and  be  happier  than  we  ever 
were  in  all  our  lives  before!" 

Gladys  and  Edna  were  silent ;  then  the  conversation 
drifted  into  other  channels. 


A   CHRISTIAN   OPTIMIST.  15 


CHAPTER   III. 

Mr.  Crescent  called  in  the  evening,  according  to 
agreement.  Somewhat  to  Eudora's  surprise,  he  was 
not  an  old-looking  man,  as  she  had  surmised  would  be 
the  case,  from  Gladys'  description.  He  was  gray-haired 
and  somewhat  elderly,  to  be  sure,  but  not  more  so 
than  her  own  father  had  been,  and  no  one  thought  of 
calling  him  old.  He  proved  himself  a  most  interesting 
talker,  and  quite  as  delightful  as  the  girls  had  repre- 
sented. Soon  all  the  details  of  the  book-store  plan 
were  laid  before  Kudora.  Mr.  Crescent  explained 
that  the  former  owner  had  lately  died,  and  that  his 
young  widow,  wishing  to  return  to  her  parents  in  the 
East,  had  decided  to  sell  the  stock  at  about  one-half 
its  value.  The  -lease  of  the  store  had  just  expired, 
and  could  not  be  renewed  on  the  same  easy  terms.  It 
was  best  so,  Mr.  Crescent  said,  as  the  building  was  in 
the  business  part  of  the  city,  and  would  therefore  not 
be  so  agreeable  for  young  ladies.  But  he  had  noticed 
within  a  couple  of  blocks  from  their  present  residence, 
a  small  store  for  rent,  which  he  thought  might  be  just 
the  thing.  It  was  the  only  store  in  the  immediate 
neighborhood  and  though,  as  a  usual  thing,  that  was 
not  an  advantage,  it  might  be  different  in  the  present 
case. 

"You  see,"  he  continued,  "the  stock  consists  largely 
of  second-hand  school-books.  As  the  scholars  in  the 
public  schools  change  grades,  they  need  different 
books,  and  are  often  unable  or  unwilling  to  buy  new 


1 6  A   BUSINESS  VENTURE  J    OR, 

ones  out  and  out.  So  they  dispose  of  their  old  ones, 
allowing  the  money  to  go  towards  their  new  books,  or 
towards  the  second-hand  ones  which  may  happen  to  be 
in  stock." 

"O,"  exclaimed  Gladys,  "I  thought  there  was  great 
danger  of  infection  in  handling  books  coming  from  the 
public  schools.  There  is  so  much  scarlet  fever  and 
other  diseases  among  children,  you  know." 

'  'That  is  true,  Miss  Gladys ;  but  there  is  a  method 
of  fumigation  to  which  each  book  is  subjected  when 
received.  I  inquired  particularly  into  this  matter, 
and  found  that  the  process  was  a  simple  and  speedy 
one.  If  you  should  decide  on  closing  with  this  offer, 
I  shall  be  happy  to  initiate  you  into  the  mystery,  and 
likewise  render  you  whatever  other  assistance  may  be 
needed." 

''You  are  very  kind,  indeed,"  said  Kudora.  "Then 
suppose  we  go  to-morrow  morning,  look  at  the  store  in 
question,  and  come  to  a  decision  of  one  kind  or  other, 
other.  What  do  you  think,  girls?" 

"I  don't  like  it  at  all,"  said  Gladys.  "But  as  you 
say  something  must  be  done,  and  I  suppose  it  is  better 
to  put  our  pride  into  pur  pockets  than  to  starve  or  beg. ' ' 

"And,"  said  Edna,  "it  seems  so  much  pleasanter 
since  we  have  talked  it  over  this  way.  I  always 
had  a  business  head,  you  know,  and  I  could  keep  the 
books  and  manage  the  financial  matters.  I  really 
think  it  would  be  fun!" 

Next  morning,  all  three  started  out  on  an  investi- 
gating tour.  The  store  was  situated  on  the  corner  of 
one  of  the  best  residence  streets  in  the  city.  Next 
door  and  all  about  it  were  handsome  houses  and 


A   CHRISTIAN   OPTIMIST.  17 

grounds  ;  it  looked  strange,  indeed,  to  see  this  lit- 
tle, shabby,  one- story  frame  structure,  put  up  in  the 
flimsy  style  peculiar  to  many  California  buildings, 
in  the  midst  of  such  stately  associates. 

"Isn't  it  a  disgraceful  looking  affair?"  said  Gladys, 
as  they  stood  surveying  the  exterior  before  entering. 
"A  dab  of  green  paint,  a  dab  of  blue  and  yellow  and 
purple  wherever  the  brush  happened  to  light.  Why, 
it's  just  awful!" 

"O  no,"  said  Eudora,  cheerfully,  "half  a  day's  work 
by  a  painter  will  make  it  all  right.  We  must  look  at  it 
as  it  may  be,  not  as  it  is.  Now  for  the  inside." 

The  door  opened  upon  a  fairly  good-sized  room,  with 
canvas  unplastered  walls,  and  absolutely  bare. 

"Why,  there  is  no  counter,  and  no  shelves,"  said 
Edna. 

"Where  are  we  expected  to  keep  the  books?" 

"Don't  you  remember  Mr.  Crescent  saying,"  re- 
plied Eudora,  "that  the  fixtures  go  with  the  stock, 
and  that  a  carpenter  could  soon  get  everything  ready  ?" 

"So  he  did,  but  I  had  forgotten.  Do  let  us  look  at 
the  other  rooms.  O,  girls!  here's  a  cute  little  room! 
and  here's  still  another!  and  actually  here's  a  kind  of 
a  kitchen  at  the  back,  with — yes,  really,  and  truly,  a 
stove!  Tiny,  to  be  sure,  and  rusty  as  can  be,  but  I 
suppose  there  must  be  something  that  will  make  it 
bright  again.  Won't  it  be  fun?" 

"Yes,  indeed,"  said  Eudora.  "We  can  really  go  to 
housekeeping  here. ' ' 

"Housekeeping!"  exclaimed  Gladys.  "What  has 
come  over  you,  Eudora  ?  Where  are  the  dining-room 


1 8  A   BUSINESS   VENTURE;    OR, 

and  sitting-room,  to  say  nothing  of  at  least  two  bed- 
rooms? Why,  we  never  could  manage  in  the  world." 

"I  don't  see  why  we  couldn't,"  remarked  Edna, 
'  'since  we  have  been  concentrating  everything  of  late 
into  one  room. ' ' 

"Of  course,  that  was  temporary.  I  never  expected 
to  put  up  with  that  for  any  length  of  time,  and — ' ' 

"Good  morning,  young  ladies,"  said  a  cheerful 
voice,  and  Mr.  Crescent  walked  in.  "I  expected  to 
find  you  here  about  this  time,  and  came  over  to  see 
what  is  your  opinion  of  this  princely  mansion. ' ' 

"Eudora  is  ecstatic,"  said  Gladys,  dryly.  "I  sup- 
pose that  settles  the  matter. ' ' 

"No,  indeed,  Gladys.  It  shall  be  just  as  you  and 
Edna  say.  I  was  only,  Mr.  Crescent,  trying  to  look 
at  what  might  be,  rather  than  what  is.  It's  a  way  I 
have  been  learning  of  late,"  Eudora  added,  laugh- 
ingly. 

"A  very  delightful  way,  I  am  sure,  Miss  Eudora," 
said  Mr.  Crescent,  gallantly.  "I  wish  I  could  learn 
it  myself.  But  now,  young  ladies,  I  have  just  been 
interviewing  the  young  widow.  She  is  extremely 
anxious  to  get  away  before  the  first  of  the  month, 
and  proposes  to  take  off  fifty  dollars  from  her  first 
offer,  in  case  the  bargain  is  at  once  concluded,  and  the 
cash  paid  down.  It  is,  as  I  have  told  you,  a  very 
great  bargain;  and  if  you  should  conclude  upon  ac- 
cepting it,  and  should  hereafter  not  make  it  a  success, 
I  think  you  would  have  no  difficulty  in  disposing  of 
the  stock  for  at  least  as  much  as  you  gave  for  it — 
probably  more. ' ' 

"Well,"  said  Gladys,  "as  I  seem  to  be  the  only  ob- 


A   CHRISTIAN   OPTIMIST.  19 

stacle  in  the  way,  I  hereby  withdraw  my  objections, 
and  leave  you  all  free  to  do  as  you  think  best. ' ' 

A  little  more  conversation,  and  the  matter  was  de- 
cided, Mr.  Crescent  being  empowered  to  manage  the 
entire  business. 

"By  the  bye,"  he  said,  as  they  were  about  to  sepa- 
rate, "what  do  you  intend  doing  with  those  two 
rooms — three  rooms,  I  might  say?" 

"L,ive  in  them,  Eudora  and  Edna  say,"  replied 
Gladys. 

"O  well,  now,"  Mr.  Crescent  remonstrated,  "I  am 
really  afraid  you  could  not  be  comfortable.  They  are 
very  small,  you  know,  and — well,  I  hardly  think  it 
would  answer.  In  my  humble  opinion,  you  would  do 
better  to  remain  where  you  are — for  the  present,  at 
least." 

"Current  is  paid  for  the  next  three  weeks,"  said 
Gladys.  "We  can  take  that  time  to  consider,  and  see 
whether  we  are  likely  to  make  a  success  of  the  busi- 
ness or  not. ' ' 

This  was  on  Saturday.  The  following  week  was  a 
busy  one.  Their  kind  friend  attended  to  all  the  finan- 
cial and  out-door  arrangements — and  in  a  few  days 
the  place  wore  a  totally  different  aspect.  A  coat  of 
gray  paint  made  a  wonderful  change  in  the  outside, 
while  a  carpenter,  a  woman  for  scrubbing,  and  the 
girls'  own  ingenuity,  soon  transformed  the  interior. 
Now  that  the  matter  was  settled,  Gladys  threw  her- 
self into  it  as  heartily  as  the  others,  and  all  worked 
together  in  harmony.  A  week  saw  everything  com- 
pleted, and  on  Saturday  the  stock  was  moved  in. 

•'This  is  the  fun,"  said  Edna,  as  case  after  case  was 


20  A    BUSINESS   VKNTURK;    OR, 

landed  upon  the  floor,  now  covered  with  a  neat  oil- 
cloth. 

"Tell  me  to-night  if  it's  fun,"  said  Mr.  Crescent, 
smilingly  opening  a  box.  "Now,  young  ladies,  you 
shall  decide  upon  which  side  you  wish  these  new  books 
to  go,  and  on  which  the  second-hand  ones." 

"New  books!"  all  exclaimed.  "We  did  not  know 
there  were  any  new  ones!" 

"O  yes,  indeed!  Otherwise  the  bargain  would 
have  been  anything  but  a  good  one.  Here  are  about 
six  hundred  volumes,  valued  at  from  twenty-five  cents 
up  to  two  or  three  dollars;  they  are  on  every  variety 
of  subjects,  from  Mother  Goose  to  Darwin." 

"O,  how  lovely!"  exclaimed  Edna,  and  the  others 
agreed  with  her.  "This  is  ever  so  much  better  than 
we  expected. ' ' 

"I  think,"  said  Gladys,  "that  they  ought  to  go  on 
those  shelves  behind  the  counter,  as  they  will  make 
more  of  a  show  there.  But  what  are  these  drawers 
for  under  the  counter?" 

"For  the  stationery,  and  odds  and  ends  of  various 
descriptions,"  replied  Mr.  Crescent. 

"Why,  that  is  something  more,"  exclaimed  Edna; 
"We  never  thought  of  stationery,  I  am  sure." 

"I  suppose,"  said  Eudora,  "all  those  second-hand 
books  will  go  on  those  three  long  shelves.  Now,  girls, 
suppose  we  divide  the  work.  Gladys  will  arrange  the 
new  books,  I  the  old  ones,  and  you,  Edna,  can  put 
away  the  stationery  and  miscellaneous  articles. ' ' 

"Just  the  part  I  like,"  said  Edna;  and  soon  all  the 
cases  were  opened  and  each  one  busy  at  her  appointed 


A   CHRISTIAN   OPTIMIST.  21 

work,  Mr.  Crescent  constituting  himself  general  ad- 
viser and  helper. 

"What  lots  of  note  paper  and  envelopes,"  ex- 
claimed Edna,  as  she  dived  into  the  contents  of  one 
large  packing  case.  "Some  are  in  boxes,  some  not. 
Here's  a  box  of  pocket-books  of  all  sorts  and  sizes; 
and  here  are  a  number  of  pictures — several  framed — 
and  boxes  and  boxes  of  pens  and  pencils,  and  all  sorts 
of  knicknacks.  Why,  it's  perfectly  lovely!  And  I 
never  thought  of  anything  but  a  lot  of  musty  old 
books!" 

"The  glass  case  on  the  counter  is  for  the  purpose  of 
holding  as  many  of  those  small  articles  as  you  choose 
to  put  into  it,"  said  Mr.  Crescent.  "With  your  ar- 
tistic tastes,  you  can  make  it  very  attractive.  Now, 
here  are  a  number  of  magazines.  The  widow  told  me 
that  she  took  several  every  month.  For  some  she  had 
regular  subscribers — I  have  their  names;  the  remain- 
der are  sold,  if  possible.  Those  unsold  are  returned 
to  the  publisher  and  a  new  supply  sent.  Of  course, 
the  supply  is  limited  as  nearly  as  possible  to  the  de- 
mand. Several  daily  newspapers  are  also  sent  you; 
those  not  disposed  of  are  returned  to  the  office. ' ' 

"I  should  hardly  suppose  it  would  pay  to  sell  news- 
papers," said  Kudora. 

"In  one  way  it  does  not,  Miss  Kudora;  but  often  a 
passer-by  will  drop  in  and  buy  a  paper  which  he  sees 
displayed,  and  after  awhile  may  become  a  regular 
customer.  The  widow  had  a  number  of  such  on  her 
list.  You  will  have  fewer,  on  account  of  the  situa- 
tion; but  it  is  best  to  neglect  nothing  which  may 
prove  of  ultimate  advantage." 


22  A   BUSINESS   VKNTUR3;    OR, 

"You  are  becoming  quite  a  businessman  yourself, 
Mr.  Crescent,"  said  Gladys,  laughingly. 

"Yes,  indeed,  Miss  Gladys,  and  you  can  not  imag- 
ine what  an  interest  it  is  to  me.  I  had  little  to  think 
of  in  my  hotel  but  myself  and  my  ailments,  and  now 
I  am  too  busy  to  think  of  either,  and  am  feeling  like 
a  new  man." 

"You  are  kind  enough  to  put  it  in  that  way,"  said 
Gladys,  in  her  pretty,  graceful  manner.  "But,  un- 
questionably, the  benefit  is  chiefly  on  our  side.  We 
could  never  have  managed  without  your  assistance. ' ' 

At  this  moment,  a  wagon  stopped  at  the  door,  and 
a  man  brought  in  a  table  and  six  chairs,  which  Mr. 
Crescent  directed  him  to  carry  into  the  room  adjoining 
the  store. 

"Now,  young  ladies,"  said  their  friend,  when  the 
man  had  gone,  "I  knew  this  business  would  be  likely 
to  occupy  us  for  the  entire  day,  and  I  did  not  propose 
to  fast  all  that  time.  So  I  took  the  liberty  of  order- 
ing a  luncheon  to  be  sent  here  at  noon,  and  the  chairs 
and  table  you  will  kindly  allow  to  remain  until  I  go 
to  housekeeping,  which  perhaps  may  be  the  case  one 
of  these  days.  Yes,  I  am  in  earnest,"  as  they  all 
laughed — "my  daughter  is  anxious  to  come  to  Cali- 
fornia on  account  of  her  youngest  son's  health,  and 
her  husband  is  trying  to  arrange  his  business  to  that 
end.  It  is  possible  they  may  be  here  before  the  be- 
ginning of  another  year,  in  which  case,  I  intend  rent- 
ing or  buying  a  house,  and  having  them  live  with 
me." 

'  'How  nice !' '  exclaimed  Edna.  '  'Are  there  any  girls 
in  the  family,  Mr.  Crescent?" 


A   CHRISTIAN   OPTIMIST.  23 

"Only  one,  Miss  Edna,  and  she  is  but  six  years  of 
age.  A  very  sweet  little  girl,  and  a  great  pet  of  her 
grandpa,  I  assure  you." 

Shortly  a  waiter  appeared  bearing  a  large  silver 
salver  upon  which  was  a  delicious  luncheon,  and  soon 
the  four  were  seated  around  the  table  with  a  thorough 
enjoyment  of  the  situation. 

"How  delightful!"  exclaimed  Edna,  with  a  sigh  of 
content,  as  she  finally  laid  down  her  knife  and  fork, 
and  surveyed  the  others.  "I  had  almost  forgotten 
there  was  such  a  thing  as  comfort  in  a  meal.  Actually, 
I  havn't  had  to  jump  up  once  for  anything,  and  con- 
sidering that  such  has  been  the  case  of  late  from  five 
to  ten  times  during  every  repast,  I  am  prepared  to  en- 
joy this  contrast." 

"It  has  not  seemed  to  hurt  you,"  said  Eudora,  as 
she  smilingly  surveyed  the  plump  form  and  rosy 
cheeks.  ' ( You  might  become  too  stout,  Edna,  if  you 
had  not  plenty  of  exercise." 

"O,  of  course,  I  expected  you  to  see  some  good  in 
it,"  retorted  Edna.  "I  wonder  if  there  is  anything 
you  don't  see  good  in?" 

"I  hope  not,  little  sister.  The  friends  I  told  you 
about  taught  me  to  say  when  I  felt  in  a  grumbling 
mood,  'I  have  faith  in  God  as  the  one  and  only  power 
working  in  and  through  my  life.'  Looking  for  the 
good,  we  find  only  the  good,  and  begin  gradually  to 
realize  that  all  things  work  together  for  our  good." 

It  was  easy  for  Eudora  to  say  these  things ;  they 
came  to  her  as  naturally  as  did  other  topics.  To 
Gladys,  it  would  have  been  almost  impossible  to  give 


24  A   BUSINESS   VENTURE  ;    OR, 

expression  to  any  of  her  deeper  feelings,  and  she  could 
not  understand  her  sister. 

"Well,  now,  Miss  Eudora,"  said  Mr.  Crescent, 
"that  is  very  sensible.  Here  I  have  been  a  church 
member  for — well,  forty  years  at  least,  and  I've 
grumbled  considerably  when  'things  went  wrong,  as  I 
called  it.  However,  it's  never  too  late  to  learn,  and 
I'll  see  if  I  can't  go  on  another  tack  for  the  future. 
But  I  have  a  piece  of  good  news  for  you,  young 
ladies.  I  have  just  discovered  that  former  intimate 
friends  of  mine  from  New  York  are  living  in  this 
house  next  you.  The  family  consists  of  the  father 
and  mother,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Warringsford,  one  son,  a 
widower,  and  his  two  children,  a  girl  of  twelve  and  a 
boy  of  six.  Mrs.  Warringsford  intends  calling  on 
you  early  in  the  week,  and  I  assure  you  the  acquaint- 
ance will  be  of  advantage  to  you  in  many  ways. 
They  are  people  well  worth  knowing,  aside  from  other 
considerations. ' ' 

"We  shall  be  happy  to  meet  them,"  said  Kudora, 
as  Gladys  was  silent.  Then  all  set  to  work  again. 

That  night,  as  the  girls  lay  down  early  to  rest,  tired 
out  with  their  unusual  exertion,  Edna  said,  after  a 
long  silence: 

"Kudora,  what  were  you  murmuring  to  yourself  just 
now?  Are  you  talking  in  your  sleep?" 

"Only  saying  what  I  call  my  song,  Kdna.  I  repeat 
it  every  night,  and  sometimes  now  I  forget  I  am  not 
alone,  and  say  it  out  loud." 

'  'What  is  it  ?"  asked  Kdna,  regardless  of  the  nudges 
Gladys  freely  administered. 

But  there  was  no  hesitation  in  the  calm  reply: 


A   CHRISTIAN  OPTIMIST.  25 

"  'Surely  goodness  and  mercy  have  followed  me  all 
this  day  of  my  life. '  ' 

"And  what  of  the  disagreeablenesses,  and  vexations, 
and  provokingness  of  things  in  general  that  some- 
times seem  to  make  up  a  large  part  of  one's  day?" 
asked  Edna. 

'  'Well,  they  are  part  and  parcel  of  that  very  good- 
ness and  mercy,  and  among  the  all  things  working  to- 
gether for  our  good. ' ' 

"O  well,"  said  Edna,  ' 'it's  very  nice,  of  course,  to 
feel  that  way,  but  when  unpleasant  things  come  to 
me,  they  just  seem  twice  as  big  as  the  pleasant  things, 
and  I  think  of  them  the  last  thing  at  night  and  the 
first  in  the  morning." 

'  'So  used  I  to  do,  little  sister,  as  you  may  possibly 
both  remember.  But  this  was  one  of  the  lessons 
taught  me  by  those  friends:  To  hold  the  mercy  and 
goodness  so  close  to  my  eyes  that  vexations  and  an- 
noyances would  be  completely  hidden  from  view. 
They  taught  me  it  was  possible  so  to  afo-use  my  fault- 
seeing  eyes  that,  like  the  fish  who,  from  living  in  a 
cavern  and  having  therefore  no  use  for  their  eyes,  be- 
come entirely  blind,  I  might  gradually  lose  their 
sight.  And  I  don't  despair,"  she  said,  laughingly, 
"that  such  will  eventually  become  the  case,  for  they 
are  much  dimmer  than  of  yore!" 

"Girls,  do  stop  talking,  and  go  to  sleep,"  said 
Gladys,  crossly.  Nevertheless,  she  lay  awake  ponder- 
ing the  matter  long  after  her  sisters  had  obeyed  both 
commands. 


26  A   BySINESS  VENTURIS;    OR, 


CHAPTER    IV. 

Monday  morning  came.  Eudora  and  Edna  were 
early  at  their  '  'place  of  business, ' '  as  Edna  laughingly 
called  it,  while  Gladys  remained  behind  to  set  matters 
to  rights,  and  to  prepare  their  noonday  lunch,  which 
she  was  to  carry  to  the  store.  There  were  no  shutters 
to  take  down,  none  having  ever  been  put  up,  but  the 
window  was  to  be  arranged  in  the  most  attractive 
manner,  a  small  stand  placed  near  the  door,  upon 
which  the  morning  papers  were  to  be  displayed  with 
their  most  glaring  head-lines  visible,  and  some  other 
matters  regulated.  Then  the  girls  sat  down  to  await 
customers. 

Edna  was  soon  deep  in  a  book,  and  Eudora  engaged 
in  writing  a  letter  to  her  dear  Aunt  Julia,  "for  I  don't 
expect  a  single  soul,"  said  Edna,  "in  this  out-of-the- 
way-place,  ' '  and  yet  she  would  have  been  extremely 
disappointed  had  such  been  the  case. 

Half  an  hour  passed.  It  was  eight  o'clock,  and 
both  girls,  absorbed  in  their  occupations,  had  well- 
nigh  forgotten  that  they  were  no  longer  ladies  of  lei- 
sure, but  poor  girls  working  for  their  living. 

Suddenly  the  door  opened,  and  a  little  figure  en- 
tered. A  boy,  about  eight  years  of  age,  barefooted, 
with  patched  clothes,  and  a  little,  thin  face  down 
which  the  tears  had  streaked  a  channel. 

"What  is  it,  little  boy?"  asked  Eudora,  kindly,  as 
he  stood  just  within  the  door  looking  alternately  at 
her  and  Edna.  "Is  anything  the  matter?  " 


A   CHRISTIAN    OPTIMIST.  2  7 

Tears  again  seemed  imminent. 

"Teacher  said  I  must  have  a  pencil — an'  I  ain't  got 
no  money" — a  sob. 

"Won't  your  mother  give  you  a  penny?"  asked 
Eudora. 

"She  did — an'  she'll  lick  me  when  I  git  home." 

"Did  you  lose  it?  "  inquired  Edna. 

"Didn't  neither  !  I — I — looked  in  the  baker's  win- 
der, an'  I  seen  some  rolls — with  sugar  on  'em — an'  I 
was  hungry — an'  I  buyed  one — with  the  penny — an' 
she'll  lick  me  when  I  git  home."  Another  sob, 
louder  than  the  others. 

"Were  you  very  hungry?"  asked  Edna,  coming 
forward  to  interview  their  first  customer. 

"Guess  I  was.  Didn't  have  no  supper,  an'  only 
bread,  so  big" — extending  two  little  fingers — "for 
breakfast — an'  I'm  hungry  now — that  roll  was  nothin' 
— made  me  hungrier. ' ' 

"Wait,"  said  Edna,  impulsively,  as  she  went  into 
the  adjoining  room.  She  had  brought  part  of  their 
lunch  herself,  to  leave  less  for  Gladys  to  carry,  and 
now  opening  the  parcel  she  took  out  several  slices  of 
bread  and  butter  and  a  piece  of  cheese. 

"Here,"  she  said,  as  she  handed  them  to  the  de- 
lighted child,  "eat  this  and  you  won't  be  hungry  any 
longer. ' ' 

He  needed  no  urging,  but  seating  himself  on  the 
floor  in  the  corner  began  speedily  to  devour  the  pro- 
visions, eyeing  his  benefactress  from  time  to  time,  as 
a  hungry  dog  devouring  his  bone  eyes  his  master. 
Edna  resumed  her  book  and  Eudora  her  writing 
until  the  repast  should  be  over.  Then  the  small  boy 


28  A    BUSINESS   VENTURE;    OR, 

arose  slowly,  with  the  look  of  contentment  dying  out 
of  his  face  as  he  remembered  the  lost  penny.  But 
Kudora  speedily  restored  the  sunshine,  as  she  held  in 
front  of  him  a  gaudy,  gilded  slate-pencil. 

"Here,"  she  said,  pleasantly,  "You  can  have  the 
pencil  without  any  money  this  time.  But  another 
time,  when  your  mother  gives  you  a  penny  to  buy 
something  with,  you  won't  spend  it  for  anything  else, 
will  you?" 

"No'm,"  as  he  clutched  the  pencil  ;  then  without 
another  word  he  ran  out,  banging  the  door  behind  him. 
The  girls  looked  at  each  other  and  Edna  laughed. 

"Our  first  customer  !  "  she  said. 

"Our  first  customer  !"  repeated  Kudora,  with  a  soft 
light  in  her  eyes. ' '  O  Edna,  how  glad  I  am  !  It  is 
so  lovely  to  begin  our  new  life  by  ministering  to  our 
Lord." 

"Why,  Eudora!"  Edna  looked  rather  shocked. 
"That  sounds  irreverent — or  it  would,  if  anybody  else 
said  it." 

"Why  should  it,  Edna?  Has  He  not  said,  'Inas- 
much as  ye  have  done  it  unto  one  of  the  least  of  these, 
ye  have  done  it  unto  Me?'  But  as  I  told  you,  dear,  I 
am  only  just  learning  to  take  Him  at  His  word,  and 
you  and  I  will  learn  the  lesson  together. ' ' 

Again  the  door  opened  and  again  a  boy  appeared, 
a  boy  as  tiny  as  the  other,  but  there  the  resemblance 
ceased.  This  one  was  most  daintily  dressed,  with 
long  golden  hair  flowing  around,  harmonizing  with 
his  refined  and  picturesque  appearance.  Approaching 
the  counter  with  a  manly  air,  he  lifted  his  lovely  blue 


A   CHRISTIAN   OPTIMIST.  29 

eyes  to  the  tall  young  lady  standing  behind  it,  with  a 
comical  appearance  of  business. 

"Good  morning,  little  man,"  said  Kudora,  smiling 
down  upon  him.  "Can  I  do  anything  for  you  ?  " 

"Yes,"  said  the  child,  putting  his  tiny  fingers  into 
his  tiny  pocket.  Then  suddenly  remembering,  he 
pulled  them  out  again,  whisked  off  his  cap,  and  said 
"Good  morning,"  politely.  Holding  it  in  one  hand, 
he  put  his  fingers  again  into  his  pockets,  and  had 
quite  a  hunt  before  he  uttered  another  word.  Finally 
he  produced  in  succession  one  penny,  another,  and 
still  another — then  a  dime.  "That's  all,"  he  said, 
with  a  cute  baby  lisp,  and  handed  the  money  gravely  up 
to  Budora. 

"But  what  is  it  for  ?  "  she  asked. 

"For  you,"  he  replied,  keeping  his  large  eyes  fixed 
upon  her.  He  had  evidently  forgotten  his  errand. 

"But  I  must  give  you  something  for  it." 

His  eyes  brightened.  "Candy!  "  he  suggested,  and 
as  both  girls  laughed,  he  dropped  his  eyes  with  an 
abashed  look. 

'  'But  we  have  no  candy,  little  man.  What  did  your 
mamma  tell  you  to  buy  ?  ' ' 

"My  mamma  is  in  Heaven;  but  I'll  go  and  ask 
grandma. ' ' 

He  trotted  out,  and  they  watched  him  as  he  ran 
along  the  flagged  pathway  leading  through  the  beauti- 
ful grounds  of  their  next  door  neighbor. 

"He's  Mrs.  Warringsford's  little  grandson,"  ex- 
claimed Edna.  "Isn't  he  perfectly  lovely!  " 

The  child  had  evidently  been  kept  in  view,  for  a 
white-capped  and  aproned  nurse  met  him  near  the 


30  A   BUSINESS   VENTURE;    OR, 

door,  and  then  a  colloquy  ensued.  He  ran  back  with 
beaming  eyes,  hardly  waiting  until  he  was  within  the 
door,  before  stammering  out  as  though  fearful  of  for- 
getting, "It's  fora  pencil  and — and — two  slates — no, 
for  two  pencils  and  one  slate — to  write  on,  you  know — 
for  me  to  draw  pigs  on — with  a  eye  in  the  middle — I 
draw  them  awfully  pretty — I'll  make  you  one  as  soon 
as  you  give  me  the  slate.  Thank  you  " — with  a  funny 
little  bow,  as  Eudora,  after  a  prolonged  search  for  a 
double  slate,  finally  handed  him  the  desired  articles. 
"But  you  tooked  a  long  time  finding  them,  didn't 
you?" 

Then  he  went  away,  forgetting  his  offer  of  drawing 
them  a  pig,  but  not  forgetting  to  make  another  bow, 
and  to  say  good  morning,  adding,  'Til  come  again 
to-morrow. ' ' 

"Well!"  said  Edna,  "there's  a  contrast  for  you! 
Extremes  met  this  time,  didn't  they  ?  But  what  have 
you  to  say  about  our  second  customer,  for  I'm  sure 
you  have  thought  of  something  ?  ' ' 

Eudora  had  no  time  to  reply,  for  again  the  door 
opened,  and  a  handsome  aristocratic-looking,  elderly 
lady  entered.  Smilingly  approaching  the  counter,  she 
extended  her  hand  to  Eudora,  who  rose  to  meet  her. 

'  'Will  you  allow  me  to  introduce  myself,  Miss  Gray- 
ston?"  she  said,  in  a  pretty,  winning  manner.  "I  am 
Mrs.  Warringsford,  your  next  door  neighbor.  Mr. 
Crescent  is  a  very  dear  friend  of  ours,  and  I  am  most 
happy  to  make  the  acquaintance  of  any  friends  of  his. 
Mr.  Warringsford  and  myself  had  arranged  to  call  on 
you  last  Saturday  evening,  but  were  detained  at  home 
until  too  late.  We  shall  do  ourselves  the  pleasure  of 


A   CHRISTIAN   OPTIMIST.  31 

calling  some  evening  this  week,  and  in  the  meantime 
I  have  run  over  informally  to  welcome  you  as  neigh- 
bors, and  to  express  the  hope  that  we  shall  be  very 
good  friends  before  long. ' ' 

'  'Thank  you,  Mrs.  Warringsford, ' '  replied  Eudora. 
"Mr.  Crescent  has  spoken  of  you  to  us,  and  we  have 
already  become  acquainted  with  your  little  grandson — 
I  believe  he  is." 

"O,  I^ogan,"  said  Mrs.  Warringsford.  "I  hope  you 
will  not  find  him  very  troublesome.  When  he  likes 
people,  he  is  apt  to  become  extremely  devoted.  But 
send  him  away  whenever  you  become  tired  of  him. ' ' 

After  some  further  conversation,  Mrs.  Warringsford 
told  the  girls  that  she  wished  to  become  a  subscriber 
for  several  of  their  magazines,  having  now,  as  she  said, 
more  time  for  reading  than  formerly.  "And  I  see 
you  have  artists'  materials.  Then  I  must  let  Gabrielle 
come  in  and  make  her  own  selection.  She  has  quite 
a  taste  for  drawing  and  painting,  and  we  wish  to  en- 
courage her  by  supplying  her  with  all  that  is  neces- 
sary, or  that  she  cares  particularly  to  have. ' ' 

Then  the  lady  smilingly  took  her  departure. 

"What  next?"  exclaimed  Edna,  delightedly.  "This 
is  charming!  If  only  it  would  last!" 

But  there  was  no  "next"  for  quite  a  while.  Eu- 
dora had  time  to  finish  her  lengthy  epistle,  then  to 
help  Edna  in  opening  some  more  boxes,  besides  re- 
arranging the  window  and  counter  in  more  alluring 
guise. 

"It  is  nearly  noon,"  she  said,  consulting  a  small 
traveling  clock  which  stood  on  a  shelf  in  full  view. 
"Almost  time  for  Gladys  to  be  here." 


32  A    BUSINESS   VENTURE:    OR, 

At  this  moment,  a  troop  of  school  children  came 
down  the  street,  and  three  or  four  entered  the  store 
noisily,  then  quieted  down  a  little  as  they  saw  the 
handsome  young  lady  who  stood  waiting  to  receive 
them.  She  smiled  pleasantly,  as  she  said:  "Good 
morning,  girls;  have  you  just  come  from  school?" 

"Yes,"  replied  the  tallest  girl,  rather  pertly.  "I 
want  a  lead  pencil  and  a  writing  pad." 

Edna,  to  whom  Eudora  now  gave  way,  produced  a 
box  of  pencils,  and  laid  a  variety  of  pads  upon  the 
counter.  The  girl  selected  a  pencil,  then  turned  over 
the  pads,  looking  at  all  critically.  Finally,  she  held 
up  one  of  the  largest  and  best. 

"How  much  is  it !"  she  inquired. 

"Fifteen  cents." 

"O,  my!  that's  too  much.  It  ought  only  to  be  a 
nickel." 

"Well,  here  are  some  pencil  pads  for  a  nickel,"  said 
Edna. 

"O,  but  I  want  one  for  ink.  Say,  can't  you  let  me 
have  this  for  a  nickel  ?' ' 

"O,  I  suppose  so,"  said  Edna,  regardless  of  Eu- 
dora's  warning  look;  and  the  girl,  snatching  up  her 
purchases  without  waiting  for  them  to  be  wrapped  up, 
departed,  followed  by  the  others,  one  lingering  behind 
to  ask:  "Do  you  keep  candy  ?" 

"Now,  Eudora,"  said  Edna,  "you  look  as  if  you 
did  not  approve.  I  would  have  supposed  that  you, 
above  all  people,  would  think  it  right  to  be  gen- 
erous. ' ' 

"But  I  don't  call  that  generosity,  Edna,     The  little 


A    CHRISTIAN    OPTIMIST.  33 

girl  was  evidently  well  able  to  pay  for  what  she 
wanted,  or,  at  least,  needed;  and  that  five-cent  pad 
was  probably  just  the  thing  for  her  to  use  in  school, 
as  I  saw  a  similar  one  in  the  hands  of  two  of  the  other 
girls.  I  don't  know  much  about  prices,  of  course; 
but  perhaps  those  pads  may  have  cost  eleven  cents  at 
wholesale,  in  which  case  we  lost  six  cents  by  that  lit- 
tle transaction." 

"Odear!"  said  Edna,  her  business  faculties  asserting 
themselves.  "I  never  thought  of  that!  It  seemed  as 
if  we  got  them  for  nothing,  as  we  didn't  pay  for  each 
article  separately.  I  shall  certainly  be  more  stingy 
another  time.  By  the  bye,  I  ought  to  attend  to  my 
book-keeping,  or  everything  will  get  mixed  up.  It 
won' t  do  to  be  slipshod  in  that  direction. ' ' 

And  Edna  was  deep  in  her  accounts  when  Gladys 
entered  with  their  lunch.  As  they  discussed  it  around 
the  cozy  little  table,  Gladys  was  given  a  full  narrative 
of  the  morning's  adventures.  She  listened  with  in- 
terest to  the  account  of  Mrs.  Warringford's  call,  and 
of  her  having  subscribed  for  the  magazines. 

"I  don't  like  patronage,"  she  said  shortly,  when 
the  story  was  ended. 

"O,  Gladys,"  said  Edna,  eagerly,  "you  would  not 
call  it  patronage  if  you  knew  Mrs.  Warringsford. 
She  is  just  as  sweet  as  can  be.  Isn't  she,  Eudora ?" 

"Yes,  indeed,  Gladys.  She  is  simply  kind  and 
friendly,  as  she  would  naturally  be  to  friends  of  a  dear 
friend.  You  will  understand  when  you  meet  her.  It 
is  a  great  thing  for  us  to  have  found,  at  the  very  out- 
set of  our  business  career,  a  friend  such  as  she  is 
likely  to  prove — and  our  next-door  neighbor,  too. ' ' 


34 


A   BUSINESS   VENTURE;    OR, 


"Oh,  well,"  said  Gladys,  calmly  dismissing  the  sub- 
ject, as  no  more  objections  occurred  to  her,  "if  you 
and  Edna  are  satisfied,  I  am  sure  I  am." 

But  something  of  a  cloud  overshadowed  for  a  while 
the  brightness  of  the  morning  sunshine. 


A   CHRISTIAN    OPTIMIST.  35 


CHAPTER  V. 

While  Hudora  and  Edna  washed  up  the  dishes, 
Gladys  took  their  places  in  the  store.  Shortly  after- 
wards a  man  entered  and  asked  for  cigars,  much  to 
Gladys'  indignation.  He  evidently  noticed  her  look, 
for  he  made  a  sort  of  apology,  and,  perhaps  to  atone, 
bought  a  newspaper.  A  few  minutes  after,  a  stylishly- 
dressed  lady,  in  passing,  glanced  at  the  window,  then 
through  it  at  Gladys,  who  sat  reading  behind  the^ 
counter;  paused,  hesitated,  finally  entered  and  asked 
for  note  paper.  As  she  examined  the  assortment 
Gladys  laid  before  her,  many  a  furtive  glance  was  di- 
rected to  the  pretty,  aristocratic-looking  girl  who  stood 
with  quiet  dignity  behind  the  counter. 

'  'You  have  only  lately  opened  this  store,  I  believe  ? 
I  noticed  its  being  closed  the  last  time  I  passed  this 
way. ' ' 

"Yes,"  replied  Gladys,  as  she  proceeded  to  make  a 
parcel  of  the  selected  paper — very  awkwardly,  as  she 
felt  herself.  "We  only  began  business  this  morn- 
ing." 

She  spoke  stiffiy,  as  though  resenting  the  inquiry, 
and  the  lady,  who  had  really  begun  to  feel  an  interest 
in  the  young  girl  who  looked  so  out  of  place  in  such 
surroundings,  inwardly  resolved  that  she  would  not 
enter  that  store  again.  At  this  moment  Eudora  came 
in  from  the  adjoining  room,  and,  approaching  the 
counter,  greeted  the  stranger  so  pleasantly  that  the 
latter  changed  her  mind  again,  and  concluded  that  she 


36  A   BUSINESS   VENTURK;  OR, 

would  return.  "She  is  prettier  than  the  other,  and  just 
as  aristocratic-looking,"  she  thought;  "but  there  is  a 
world-wide  difference  in  their  ways  and  manners. ' ' 

Then  as  Gladys  was  somewhat  long  in  making  up 
the  parcel,  a  few  pleasant  words  passed  between  the 
two,  and  the  lady  departed  in  a  very  different  frame 
of  mind  from  what  would  have  been  the  case  had  not 
Eudora  entered. 

"You  spoke  to  that  person  exactly  as  if  she  had  been 
an  old  friend,"  remarked  Gladys,  after  a  few  moments 
silence. 

"Well,"  said  Eudora,  smilingly,  "in  one  sense  she 
is  an  old  friend.  We  are  all  brothers  and  sisters,  you 
know." 

"Now,  Eudora,  that  is  nonsense.  We  can't  be 
'hail-fellow-well-met'  with  everybody.  A  certain  re- 
serve is  proper  with  strangers,  especially  alone  as 
we  are;  it  is  more  dignified." 

"My  dear  Gladys,"  said  Eudora,  now  speaking 
seriously,  "there  is  no  loss  of  dignity  in  kind,  friendly 
manners  to  all;  there  is  a  vast  difference  between 
friendliness  and  familiarity.  Politeness  somebody  calls 
'surface  Christianity,'  but  don't  you  think  that  those 
of  us  who  are  trying  to  live  the  Christ-life  ought  to 
have  that  real  kindliness  of  heart  which  goes  beyond 
mere  politeness,  and  which  feels  more  or  less  of  an  in- 
terest in  all  our  fellow-creatures  ?' ' 

"Of  course,"  said  Edna,  who  had  come  to  the  door 
in  time  to  hear  the  last  few  words.  "It's  a  great  deal 
better  to  be  sociable.  If  I  should  be  stiff  in  my  man- 
ner, I  know  I  would  not  sell  half  as  much  as  I  other- 
wise might  and  expect  to  do. ' ' 


A   CHRISTIAN    OPTIMIST.  37 

"That  is  another  and  an  important  consideration," 
said  Eudora,  '  'in  our  position.  If  we  wish  our  busi- 
ness to  be  a  success,  we  must  make  our  little  store 
so  pleasant  that  people  who  come  once  will  want  to 
come  again." 

"Yes,  indeed,"  said  Edna.  "Don't  you  remember, 
Gladys,  how  much  we  disliked  going  to  A's  store,  be- 
cause the  clerks  were  so  disagreeable,  and  how  at  last 
we  stopped  going  entirely,  and  went  to  B's,  because 
the  clerks  were  so  pleasant  there,  and  seemed  to  take 
a  real  interest  in  our  purchases,  even  giving  sug- 
gestions here  and  there,  when  we  were  puzzled  as  to  a 
choice  ?  And  I  remember,  Gladys,  your  saying  once 
that  you  were  sure  those  other  clerks  were  damaging 
the  business,  and  that  if  their  employers  knew  of  it, 
they  would  soon  be  given  their  ticket  of  leave. ' ' 

"And  I  am  very  sure  of  one  thing,"  said  Gladys, 
reprovingly,  "that  I  never  used  slang;  and  I  really 
wish,  Edna,  that  you  would  drop  it  at  once.  You 
know  how  Mademoiselle  tried  to  impress  upon  you  how 
extremely  unlady-like  it  was — ' ' 

But  the  door  opened  again,  and  this  time  Gladys 
slipped  away,  leaving  her  sisters  to  manage  the  new 
customer.  A  rough-looking  man  he  was,  and  Edna 
shrank  towards  the  back  of  the  store,  though  rather 
feeling  that  the  act  was  one  of  cowardice.  He 
lounged  up  to  the  counter,  upon  which  he  threw  three 
coppers. 

"I  vant  to-day's  Times,"  he  said,  in  a  rude  tone. 

"They  are  five  cents  apiece,"  replied  Eudora,  in  her 
usual  pleasant  manner. 


38  A   BUSINESS   VENTURE;    OR, 

"That's  too  much,"  he  growled.  "Never  paid 
more  than  three  pennies. ' ' 

'  'They  tried  selling  them  at  that  price, ' '  said  Eudora, 
still  pleasantly,  "but  found  they  could  not  make  it 
pay,  so  returned  to  the  former  price. ' ' 

"Well,  it's  too  much,"  said  the  man  more  roughly 
than  before.  '  'Just  hand  me  over  one  of  them  papers, 
will  you  ?  ' ' 

By  this  time  Edna  had  recovered  her  courage,  and 
came  forward  prepared  to  defend  her  sister.  But 
Eudora  needed  no  help. 

"I  can  not  do  that,"  she  answered  firmly,  but  with 
no  other  change  of  manner.  '  'That  would  be  unfair 
to  our  other  customers,  who  are  all  obliged  to  pay  five 
cents  a  copy.  I  am  sure  you  must  see  the  reasonable- 
ness of  this." 

Edna  scarcely  breathed  during  the  pause  that  fol- 
lowed. The  man  hesitated,  seemed  inclined  to  per- 
sist, then  gave  a  gruff  laugh  and  put  his  hand  into  his 
pocket.  Taking  out  two  more  pennies,  he  laid  them 
beside  the  others.  "O,  well,  I  guess  you're  about 
right,"  he  said  more  gently,  and  Eudora  politely 
thanked  him  as  she  handed  him  the  paper.  Edna 
drew  a  long  breath  of  relief  as  he  left  the  store. 

"O,  Eudora,  how  could  you  ?  Why  did  n't  you  give 
him  the  paper  and  let  him  go?" 

"It  would  not  have  been  right,  Edna.  Even  suppos- 
ing he  had  not  more  than  three  cents,  a  newspaper  is  not 
a  necessity.  It  would  have  been  cowardly  to  yield  to 
threats." 

"I  declare,  Eudora,  I  would  not  have  supposed  it 


A   CHRISTIAN   OPTIMIST.  39 

of  you.     You  are  always  so  yielding  and  willing  to 
give  up  your  own  way  to  everybody. ' ' 

'  'Thank  you,  dear.  But  in  this,  I  consider  it  would 
have  been  giving  into  wrong,  and  therefore  allowing 
wrong  to  triumph.  The  amount  involved  was,  of 
course,  very  trifling — but  the  principle  was  the  same, 
no  matter  what  the  amount. ' ' 

"But  just  tell  me,  Kudora,  honor  bright,  weren't 
you  really  and  truly  frightened  ?  for  the  man  looked 
so  threatening,  and  you  used  to  be  so  scary,  you 
know." 

"I  was  a  little  frightened,  but  only  for  an  instant. 
Then  I  remembered  my  talisman,  and  the  fear  left 
me." 

"Your  talisman?" 

*  'Yes — or  rather  one  of  them  ;  for  sometimes  one, 
sometimes  another,  comes  to  mind.  This  time  it  was, 
'nothing  shall  by  any  means  hurt  you. '  ' 

"O,  but  that  was  a  promise  made  to  the  twelve 
apostles  in  the  long-ago  musty  past,  and  hasn't  any- 
thing to  say  to  us. ' ' 

"Why  not !  For  Jesus,  in  His  discourse  to  His 
disciples,  told  them  clearly  that  His  promises  were  not 
for  them  alone,  but  for  all  who  shculd  hereafter  be- 
lieve on  Him.  And  you  and  I  believe  on  Him,  Edna, 
so  we  have  a  right  to  claim  all  those  promises.  And 
I  am  daily  learning — and  so  may  you,  dear — how  to 
take  a  firmer  grasp  of  them,  and  how  to  give  the 
'right  knock'  which  opens  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven  to 
all  believers  even  here  on  earth. ' ' 

Again  the  door  opened,  very  softly  this  time,  and  a 
Chinaman  entered.  He  was  dressed  in  a  flowing  robe 


40  A  BUSINESS  VKNTURK  ;   OR, 

of  black  stuff,  partly  covering  trousers  of  the  same  ma- 
terial. Embroidered  sandals,  and  a  small  black  cap, 
completed  the  costume.  Kdna  recognized  him  as  the 
Chinese  herb-doctor  who  lived  about  three  blocks  from 
them,  in  a  rather  handsome  house,  upon  the  front 
lawn  of  which  a  large  sign  was  displayed,  bearing  his 
name,  the  diseases  he  professed  to  heal,  and  references 
to  the  cities  in  which  he  had  performed  cures.  His 
countenance  was  intelligent,  betokening  culture.  In 
tolerable  English  he  asked  for  a  bottle  of  ink,  paid 
for  it  in  silence,  gave  a  quick  glance  around  the  store, 
including  its  inmates,  then  departed  as  quietly  as  he 
had  entered. 

"Isn't  he  nice?"  said  Eudora,  and  then  Edna  told 
her  all  she  knew  about  him. 

"When  we  first  came  to  L,os  Angeles,"  she  contin- 
ued, "I  used  to  like  going  about  the  streets,  reading 
the  queer  signs  one  meets  in  every  direction.  Spirit- 
ualists, palmists,  mind-readers,  card-readers,  hypno- 
tists, psychologists  and  ologists  of  all  kinds  hang  out 
their  signs  as  freely  as  regular  M.  D.'s  do  in  other 
cities.  It  used  to  give  me  a  weird  feeling  at  first,  but 
now  I  hardly  even  notice  them.  As  to  the  Chinese, 
they  are  as  thick  as  blackberries — there  goes  our 
orange  Chinaman,  and  I  must  stop  him,  for  there's  no 
one  at  home,  and  we  should  miss  him  for  another 
week. ' ' 

So  saying,  seizing  a  basket,  she  ran  out,  and  stop- 
ping a  passing  wagon  soon  returned  laden  with  fine 
large  oranges. 

"How  delightful !"  exclaimed  Eudora.  "But  were 
you  not  extravagant  to  buy  so  many  ?  ' ' 


A   CHRISTIAN   OPTIMIST.  41 

''Here  are  only  ten;  but  some  are  so  large  that 
there  seem  a  good  many  more.  How  much  do  you 
suppose  I  gave  for  the  whole  ?  ' ' 

"Perhaps  half  a  dollar. 

' 'Just  ten  cents  !  And  the  man  says,  after  awhile, 
he  will  give  us  twelve  or  fourteen  for  the  same  money. 
They  are  dearer  in  the  stores,  but  these  are  the  'culls' 
from  the  packing  houses,  where  they  throw  aside 
those  of  unequal  sizes  or  any  having  the  smallest 
defect  or  bruise  and  sell  them  for  a  trifle  either  in 
large  or  small  quantities  ;  you  see  they  are  of  various 
sizes — look  at  this  immense  Navel  one.  Here  is  the 
only  one  having  the  slightest  blemish  that  I  can  see, 
and  it  has  only  a  tiny  soft  spot  on  this  end.  Try  one, 
and  see  how  delicious  they  are. ' ' 

One  more  customer — a  rather  extensive  purchaser 
of  letter  paper — and  business  ended  for  the  day,  as 
they  had  decided  that  it  was  best  to  close  the  store 
and  return  home  before  dark.  Well,  no,  not  exactly 
ended.  There  was  another  customer,  though  hardly 
to  be  regarded  as  such.  A  few  minutes  before  five 
o'clock  Mr.  Crescent  walked  in — not  at  all  to  the  sur- 
prise of  the  girls,  who  had  been  rather  expecting  him 
at  any  moment  through  the  day. 

"Well,  young  ladies,  I  have  denied  myself  the 
pleasure  of  calling  earlier  that  you  might  be  quite 
undisturbed  in  this  your  first  day  of  practical  business 
life.  How  goes  it  ?  " 

"O,  beautifully"!"  said  Kudora,  and,  "perfectly 
splendid,"  said  Edna.  But  Mr.  Crescent  looked  cu- 
riously around,  as  though  expecting  another  voice. 

"I  am  delighted,"  he  said.     "You  must  give  me  all 


42  A   BUSINESS   VENTURE;    OR, 

the  particulars  by  and  bye,  but  first  I  must  make  my 
purchases.  You  did  not  reckon  on  me  for  a  customer, 
did  you?" 

"Indeed,  you  shall  not,"  said  Gladys  coming  in  at 
the  moment.  "You  know  you  don't  want  anything 
in  this  little  store,  and  you  just  shall  not  buy  from 
pity,  do  you  hear,  sir  ?  " 

"I  beg  your  ladyship's  pardon" — and  Mr.  Crescent 
made  a  low  bow — "but  I  do  really  want  something  in 
this  little  store  ;  and  I  am  going  to  have  it  too.  In 
the  first  place,  I  buy  a  number  of  magazines  every 
month,  and  as  you  have  a  goodly  supply,  I  may  surely 
be  allowed  the  pleasure  of  buying  them  here,  in  prefer- 
ence to  going  elsewhere.  In  the  next  place,  I  am 
badly  in  need  of  writing  paper,  and  shall  now  lay  in 
my  supply  for  the  winter.  Fortunately,  you  have  a 
large  stock  on  hand,  and  can  not  refuse  to  accommo- 
date me." 

He  then  proceeded  to  buy  to  such  an  extent  that 
Edna  laughingly  remarked  he  would  require  a  wheel- 
barrow to  take  his  purchases  home. 

"And,  now,"  he  said,  "I  see  you  have  a  lamp  on 
that  shelf  ready  for  lighting.  Suppose  we  spend  half 
an  hour  in  going  over  the  accounts  Miss  Kdna  has 
kept.  I  studied  bookkeeping  in  my  youth  and  may, 
perhaps,  be  able  to  give  you  some  useful  hints.  I 
shall  then,  with  your  permission,  escort  you  home,  as 
it  is  already  growing  dark." 

Settling  themselves  cosily  in  their  little  sitting- 
room,  Kdna  brought  in  her  account  book,  which  Mr. 
Crescent  carefully  examined. 

"Why,  you  are  quite  a  bookkeeper,  Miss  Edna,"  he 


A  CHRISTIAN   OPTIMIST.  43 

said,  at  last,  "no  need  of  many  hints  here,  and  your 
sales  have  been  remarkably  good  for  a  beginning.  If 
you  keep  on  at  this  rate  you  can  manage  very  well, 
provided  you  have  made  a  tolerably  accurate  reckon- 
ing of  what  is  likely  to  be  your  cost  for  living  after 
your  removal  to  this  place. ' ' 

"We  have  only  made  a  rough  guess  at  it,"  said 
Gladys.  '  'You  see  we  have  none  of  us  had  much  experi- 
ence in  such  matters,  and  so  far,  when  I  have  made  a  cal- 
culation as  to  what  was  likely  to  be  our  week' s  expenses, 
they  have  usually  exceeded  my  estimate — often  by  a 
good  deal.  Something  unexpected  is  always  turning 
up.  For  example,  last  week  an  express  parcel  from 
the  East  was  sent  me  for  a  birthday  present  from  one 
of  my  former  rich  friends.  It  was  an  expensive 
piece  of  bric-a-brac,  really  more  in  my  way  now  than 
anything  else,  and  I  had  to  pay  a  dollar  and  a  quarter 
for  the  express.  Of  course,  I  appreciated  my  friend's 
kind  intention,  and  she  never  thought  about  the  cost, 
as  I  should  not  either  a  year  ago — all  the  same,  it  made 
a  hole  in  our  little  fund.  And  I  do  not  think  there  has 
been  a  single  week  since  we  have  been  at  housekeep- 
ing that  there  has  not  been  one  or  more  of  just  such 
unexpected  happenings. ' ' 

"Then  we  must  leave  a  margin  for  the  unexpected," 
said  Mr.  Crescent,  '  'but  you  will  not  always  make  as 
much  as  you  have  to-day;  and,  again,  there  are  days 
when  you  will  make  a  great  deal  more — especially 
when  you  become  better  known.  The  beginning  of 
school  sessions  will  probably  be  a  harvest  time;  when 
the  children  have  to  change  books,  or  to  buy  new  ones. 
You  are  near  a  large  public  school,  so  are  likely  to 


44  A   BUSINESS  VENTURE;    OR, 

have  a  good  chance  iu  that  line.  Take  it  altogether, 
it  seems  to  me  the  only  satisfactory  way  is  to  try  the 
thing  for  a  month;  by  that  time,  you  ought  to  have 
a  pretty  good  idea  of  whether  it  is  going  to  work  or 
not.  Miss  Kdna,  I  compliment  you  on  your  good 
business  head. ' ' 

That  evening,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Warringsford  made 
their  promised  call.  In  the  course  of  conversation, 
the  discovery  was  made  that  Mr.  Warringsford  had 
been  well  acquainted  with  Mr.  Grayston  in  a  business 
way  in  New  York,  and  that  both  families  had  mutual 
acquaintances  residing  there;  so  that,  when  they  parted 
at  a  late  hour  all  felt  that  they  were  no  longer  strangers, 
but  on  the  road  to  being  very  good  friends,  indeed. 
Just  as  they  were  about  to  leave,  Mrs.  Warringsford 
paused,  and  said: 

'  'There,  now,  we  were  going  away  without  mentioning 
a  project  which  we  hope  will  meet  with  your  approval. 
Mr.  Crescent  has  informed  us  that  you  propose  living 
in  the  rooms  connected  with  the  store.  He  cannot 
become  reconciled  to  the  modern  idea  of  young  girls 
taking  care  of  themselves,  so  far  as  living  alone  is 
concerned;  and  I  may  say,"  she  added,  laughingly, 
"Mr.  Warringsford  and  I  share  his  views.  You  are 
aware,  no  doubt,  that  our  grounds  reach  to  the  side  of 
your  building.  Now,  if  you  like,  our  gardener  will 
make  a  walk  between  the  two  places,  leading  from  our 
side  door  to  your  back  door,  thus  connecting  the 
houses,  and  putting  you,  in  a  manner,  under  our  pro- 
tection. This  will  relieve  the  mind  of  our  mutual 
friend,  and  I  think  be  an  advantage  all  around." 

Of  course  there  was  nothing  to  say,  except  to  thank 


A   CHRISTIAN  OPTIMIST.  45 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Warringsford  for  their  kindness,  after 
which  they  took  their  departure. 

"What  were  you  going  to  say  about  that  second  cus- 
tomer, Eudora?"  asked  Edna,  when  the  girls  had 
finally  retired  for  the  night. 

"I  hardly  remember,  dear,  but  probably  I  intended 
saying  that  as  in  the  first  customer  we  ministered  to 
our  lyord,  so  He  ministered  to  us  in  the  second,  and 
all  the  rest  of  the  day,  even  to  its  very  last  hour.  He 
has  surely  returned  us  double  measure  for  the  little 
we  did  for  Him. ' ' 

"Then  I  suppose  you  will  make  out  that  the  six 
cents  we  lost  by  that  little  girl,  and  the  fright  that 
rough  man  gave  us,  were  all  for  our  advantage  too?" 

"I  certainly  believe  they  were,  Edna.  I  would  be- 
lieve it  even  if  I  did  not  see  how  it  could  be,  since 
all  things  work  together  for  good.  But  it  is  easy  to 
see  how  our  experience  in  the  little  girl's  case  gave  us 
an  opportunity  to  talk  over  the  matter,  and  to  decide 
on  a  course  of  action  which  will  prevent  our  making  a 
similar  mistake  when  the  amount  involved  may  be 
more  of  a  loss.  In  the  case  of  the  man,  it  proved  to 
me  how  well  my  talisman  worked,  and  gave  me  new 
cause  to  feel  that  'what  time  I  am  afraid  I  will  trust  in 
Thee.'  So,  with  a  grateful  heart,  I  sing  my  little 
song  to-night,  'Surely  goodness  and  mercy  have  fol- 
lowed me  all  this  day  of  my  life. '  ' ' 

And,  in  the  lowest  whisper,  Edna  said  it  too. 


46  A   BUSINESS   VENTURE ;    OR, 


CHAPTER  VI. 

A  few  days  passed,  with  more  or  less  success  in 
business.  The  number  of  sm.dl  purchasers  increased, 
as  the  school  children  began  to  find  out  that  such  a 
store  existed,  while  naturally  the  two  larger  purchases 
of  the  first  day  were  not  repeated.  Upon  the  whole, 
matters  were  not  unsatisfactory,  and  the  girls  were 
quite  hopeful.  Towards  noon  of  the  fourth  day, 
Kudora  and  Kdna  were  talking  over  affairs  when 
Gladys  entered  with  their  luncheon.  She  was  deathly 
pale,  so  utterly  unlike  herself  that  Edna  exclaimed, 
'  'What  is  the  matter,  Gladys  ?  Are  you  sick  ?' ' 

''No,"  she  replied,  shortly;  "only — I  have  a  head- 
ache. Take  your  lunch,  girls,  before  it  gets  cold.  I 
cannot  eat  anything  at  present — I  had  better  go  home 
and  lie  down  awhile." 

She  turned  and  went  away  suddenly,  as  though  fear-' 
ing  to  be  questioned;  and  the  two  girls  looked  at  each 
other  uneasily. 

"She  seemed  quite  well  when  we  left  her  this  morn- 
ing," said  Edna.  "I  even  noticed  how  unusually 
lively  she  was." 

"Yes,"  said  Eudora,  musingly;  "she  is  not  subject 
to  headaches,  either.  Edna,  I  think  I  had  best  leave 
you  in  charge  here,  and  go  back  to  see  if  I  can  do 
anything  for  her.  I  shall  not  stay  long  unless  it 
should  be  necessary;  but  if  I  do  not  return  before 
five,  you  may  then  lock  up  and  come  home." 

It  was  a  surprise  to  Edna  to  see  Eudora  again  be- 


A    CHRISTIAN    OPTIMIST.  47 

fore  a  half-hour  had  elapsed.     There  was  a  grave  ex- 
pression on  her  usually  sunny  countenance. 

" Gladys  would  not  let  me  stay  with  her,"  she  said, 
trying  to  speak  cheerfully.  "She  insisted  that  she 
would  feel  better  if  left  quite  alone;  so  I  thought  it 
best  to  do  as  she  requested. ' ' 

Kudora  did  not  add  that  she  had  found  Gladys  lying 
across  the  bed  on  her  face  in  a  paroxysm  of  subdued 
weeping,  and  that  to  her  sister's  frightened  inquiries 
she  would  return  no  answer,  except  to  beg  her  to  go 
back  and  leave  her  to  herself;  which,  most  reluctantly, 
Kudora  had  done. 

"What  can  possibly  be  the  matter?"  said  Kdna. 
"She  has  been  so  bright  lately — especially  since  you 
returned  home.  She  was  nearly  heart-broken  when 
father  died — it  was  so  sudden  and  unexpected.  And 
you  know,  though  he  loved  us  all,  she  seemed  his 
special  darling.  It  was  strange,  too,  for  she  never 
made  a  fuss  over  him,  as  I  did — I  used  sometimes  to 
think  her  manner  was  almost  cold  to  him,  though 
of  course  she  loved  him  just  the  same,  and  it  never 
was  her  way  to  gush  over  anything  or  anybody.  O, 
dear!  I  do  hope  nothing  dreadful  is  the  matter!  We 
were  just  beginning  to  be  so  happy  again — since  you 
have  come,  Kudora.  I'm  sure,  though,  you  can't  say 
now  that  this  is  all  for  the  best. ' ' 

"Yes,  but  I  can,  dear,  though  I  certainly  cannot 
see  the  reason  for  it.  Doubtless  she  and  we,  too,  need 
the  lesson  this  is  meant  to  teach  us.  And  in  due 
time  the  cloud  will  pass  away. ' ' 

"Well,  Kudora,  do  use  some  of  your  talismans  to 


48  A   BUSINESS   VENTURE;    OR, 

make  it  pass  as  quickly  as  possible,  for  it  is  just 
dreadful  to  have  anything  the  matter  with  Gladys. ' ' 

"Indeed,  I  shall,  dear.  But  you  have  the  very 
same  talisman,  and  must  learn  to  use  it  also. ' ' 

And  Edna,  thinking  it  very  good  of  Eudora  not  to 
reprove  her  for  irreverence,  which  she  had  really  not 
intended,  felt  soothed  and  comforted. 

When  they  returned  home,  Gladys  was  preparing 
their  dinner.  She  was  calm,  but  extremely  pale,  writh 
an  appearance  of  exercising  strong  self-control. 

"How  is  your  head,  dear?"  asked  Eudora,  as  she 
gently  kissed  her. 

"Better,  thank  you,"  replied  Gladys  shortly,  with 
such  evident  disinclination  for  further  inquiry,  that 
Eudora  said  no  more,  by  a  look  also  checking  Edna's 
intended  questions.  Gladys  sat  down  to  table  with 
them,  apparently  forcing  herself  to  eat.  But  she  soon 
gave  up  the  attempt. 

"Eudora,"  she  said  suddenly,  "as  we  intend  going 
so  shortly  to  the  store  to  live,  why  would  it  not  be  as 
well  to  go  at  once  ?  ' ' 

"Why,  Gladys!  "  exclaimed  Edna,  before  her  sister 
had  time  to  reply.  "We  have  paid  in  advance  for  this 
room,  you  know,  and  our  month  is  not  more  than  half 
over. ' ' 

"I  know,"  said  Gladys,  in  the  same  constrained 
tone.  "But  we  won't  lose  anything,  since  the  other 
rent  is  likewise  paid.  We  might  as  well  be  there  as 
here." 

"I  don't  see  why,"  began  Edna,  but  Eudora  inter- 
posed. 

"I  think  we  might  just  as  well  be  there,"  she  said, 


A   CHRISTIAN   OPTIMIST.  49 

as  though  not  surprised  at  the  proposal.  "In  fact,  it 
would  be  much  more  convenient  to  be  all  together  in 
one  place.  And  we  won't  be  so  cramped,  either.  I 
intend 'having  a  folding-bed  in  the  store  for  myself ; 
'that  will  leave  room  enough  for  you  two  in  that  small 
room." 

"Indeed  you  won't!  "  exclaimed  Edna.  "/'//  sleep 
there.  But  I  don't—" 

She  checked  herself  as  she  caught  a  glance  from 
Kudora,  and  it  suddenly  occurred  to  her  that  Gladys' 
eagerness  for  the  change  might  be  in  some  way  con- 
nected with  this  mysterious  trouble  which  had  come 
upon  her.  So  they  quietly  talked  together  over  ways 
and  means,  and  retired  to  rest  more  composed  than 
might  have  been  expected  only  a  few  short  hours 
before. 

The  following  morning,  Gladj^s,  who  had  evidently 
spent  a  sleepless  night,  proposed  that  she  should  ac- 
company Eudora  to  the  store,  leaving  Edna  to  do  what 
work  was  to  be  done,  and  to  prepare  and  carry  them 
their  luncheon — an  arrangement  not  at  all  to  that 
young  lady's  taste.  Gladys  was  outwardly  composed, 
but  had  a  restless,  unhappy  look  in  her  eyes,  clearly 
betokening  her  mental  disturbance.  Eudora  made  no 
attempt  to  gain  her  confidence,  feeling  that  the  truest 
kindness  would  be  to  leave  her  to  act  as  she  desired  or 
deemed  best. 

After  opening  up  the  store  and  making  the  window 
appear  as  attractive  as  possible,  the  girls  looked  around 
them  in  the  other  rooms,  trying  to  decide  upon  the 
amount  and  kind  of  furniture  necessary  for  decent 
habitation.  Their  stock  in  hand  consisted  of  the 


50  A   BUSINESS   VENTURE;    OR, 

chairs  and  table  sent  by  Mr.  Crescent,  and  a  small 
kitchen  stove,  also  their  clock  and  one  or  two  trifling 
articles. 

"We  must  have  a  kitchen  table,"  said  Eudora. 
"Also  two  wooden  chairs.  Also  pots,  pans,  skillets, 
etc. — extending  the  list  indefinitely  as  our  means 
will  permit.  I  have  been  pricing  articles  within  the 
past  few  days,  and  find  we  can  get  a  wooden  table  for 
one  dollar;  other  things  in  proportion.  We  need  not 
cover  the  floor  at  present,  until  we  see  how  we  are 
likely  to  succeed. ' ' 

"Why,  Kudora,  how  practical  you  are  becoming! 
It  seems  more  in  Hdna's  line.  What  a  fine  little  busi- 
ness woman  she  is!  I  should  not  wonder  if  she  wrere 
to  turn  out  the  most  valuable  member  of  the  firm — 
oh!"— 

Gladys'  momentarily  cheerful  tones  changed  sud- 
denly, as  an  irrepressible  exclamation  burst  from  her, 
and  a  kind  of  spasm  passed  over  her  countenance. 
With  strong  self-control,  she  recovered  herself  at  once, 
and  proceeded  with  the  conversation  as  calmly  as 
usual. 

"What  is  your  idea  in  regard  to  our  other  apart- 
ments ?' '  she  asked. 

1  'Well,  I  think  we  shall  have  to  take  meals  in  the 
kitchen,  make  a  bed-room  of  this,  and  a  sitting-room 
of  the  one  next  the  store. ' ' 

"Why  could  we  not  combine  sitting  and  dining- 
room?'  '  asked  Gladys.  '  'The  kitchen  is  so  very  small. ' ' 

'  'Because  we  should  have  to  carry  everything  through 
our  bed-room  and  back  again — and  it  would  be  both 
tiresome  and  inconvenient.  There  is  no  use  in  our 


A   CHRISTIAN   OPTIMIST.  51 

trying  to  be  stylish,  Gladys,  under  present  circum- 
stances. Then  we  are  none  of  us  accustomed  to  house- 
work, and  we  had  better  make  matters  as  easy  as  we 
can  for  ourselves,  to  begin  with,  at  any  rate.  I  have 
no  doubt  we  shall  have  perplexities  of  various  kinds, 
but  the  way  will  clear  as  we  proceed. ' ' 

At  that  moment  the  store  door  opened,  three  or  four 
school  children  entered,  and  for  half  an  hour  both 
girls  were  kept  busy  at  the  counter.  Then  a  lull  en- 
sued, and  they  were  about  returning  to  their  furnish- 
ing calculations,  when  Mrs.  Warringsford  entered — 
"to  make  a  little  friendly  call,"  she  said.  In  the 
course  of  conversation,  Budora  mentioned  their  inten- 
tion of  removing  there  immediately. 

"Indeed,"  said  Mrs.  Warringsford.  "Well,  now, 
that  is  strange,  for  it  was  upon  this  special  subject  I 
wished  to  speak  to  you  at  present.  This  place  is  too 
small  for  three  of  you  to  sleep  in;  it  would  be  ex- 
tremely inconvenient,  to  say  the  least.  Now,  I  have 
a  plan  to  propose,  which  I  hope  you  will  all  approve. 
We  have  just  lately  furnished  a  room  for  my  little 
granddaughter — a  room  for  her  to  sleep  in,  and  to  call 
her  own.  She  has  long  been  asking  for  it,  and  last 
night  occupied  it  for  the  first  time.  This  morning  she 
complained  of  loneliness,  asking  to  be  allowed  to  re- 
turn to  the  nursery  at  night.  I  preferred  she  should 
not,  but  was  at  first  at  a  loss  to  know  what  was  best 
to  be  done,  until  this  plan  occurred  to  me.  Gabrielle's 
room  opens  on  the  spare  bed-room — an  apartment  very 
seldom  used;  and  it  struck  me  that,  as  you  would  be 
cramped  in  this  place,  one  of  you  might  possibly  like 
to  occupy  it.  That  would  be  company  for  Gabrielle, 


52  A   BUSINESS   VENTURE;    OR, 

and  would,  I  am  sure,  make  her  quite  satisfied  with 
her  new  quarters.  There  is  a  door  opposite  the  walk 
between  our  two  places;  it  opens  on  a  stair-case  lead- 
ing directly  to  those  apartments,  so  that  you  could  run 
over  at  any  time  in  the  course  of  the  evening  without 
fear,  and  would,  I  hope,  soon  feel  yourself  quite  at  home. 
You  can  talk  it  over  amongst  yourselves,  and  let  me 
know  your  decision  some  time  to-day.  Now,  I  wish 
to  mention  another  matter.  In  re-furnishing  Ga- 
brielle's  room,  we  had  to.remove  most  of  the  former 
furniture.  It  was  nearly  new,  but  she  called  it  grown- 
up furniture,  and  persuaded  us  to  allow  her  to  make 
her  own  selection.  Now,  you  will  need  some  things 
even  in  this  small  place,  and  it  does  not  seem  worth 
your  wrhile  to  buy  much,  since  you  are  only  making 
an  experiment  of  the  business;  so,  if  you  will  kindly 
allow  me  to  send  over  those  articles  for  which  I  have 
no  present  use,  and  am  forced  to  store  away  in  the 
barn  for  want  of  better  quarters,  it  will  be  a  mutual 
accommodation,  will  it  not?" 

Eudora  thanked  their  kind  friend  warmly.  Gladys 
also  thanked  her  politely,  but  somewhat  stiffly,  and 
Mrs.  Warringsford  felt  rather  chilled  by  her  manner. 
After  some  further  conversation,  and  an  inspection  of 
the  rooms  in  question,  their  friend  promised  that  the 
furniture  should  be  sent  over  at  once,  and  then  took 
her  departure. 

"Eudora,"  said  Gladys,  abruptly,  "I  don't  like  it 
at  all.  She  is  too  much  of  a  stranger  for  us,  at  least 
for  me,  to  be  willing  to  put  myself  under  obligation 
to  her.  I  dislike  it  very  much,  indeed." 

"And    I,   dear   Gladys,"    said   Eudora,    "was   just 


A   CHRISTIAN   OPTIMIST.  53 

thanking  our  kind  Heavenly  Father  for  sending  us  the 
very  things  we  needed.  Besides,  she  is  not  really  a 
stranger,  Mr.  Warringsford  having  known  our  dear 
father,  and  our  being  so  well  known  to  them  through 
Mr.  Crescent.  And  then — are  we  not  all  members  of 
the  one  great  family  whose  head  is  Christ,  and  receiv- 
ing as  we  do  daily,  innumerable  favors  from  Him, 
should  we  not  be  willing  to  receive  them  from  His 
brethren  and  ours,  taking  care  of  course  to  return 
them,  should  the  opportunity  offer  ;  or  to  pass  them  on 
to  others." 

"O,  well,"  said  Gladys,  wearily,  "I  am  sure  I  don't 
care  anything  about  it.  It  is  not  worth  while.  Noth- 
ing is  worth  while. ' ' 

Kudora  saw  the  distressed  look  returning  to  her 
sister's  countenance,  and  to  change  her  thoughts,  went 
on  speaking. 

"I  remember  when  we  were  staying  near  Paris  last 
year,  I  once  took  the  cars  to  go  to  the  Jardin  des 
Plantes.  When  I  opened  my  purse  to  pay  my  fare,  I 
found  to  my  dismay,  that  I  had  forgotten  to  replenish 
it  before  leaving  home.  A  lady  sitting  beside  me  seeing 
my  perplexity,  said  quietly,  'Permettez,  Mademoiselle  ? 
and  paid  my  fare  without  giving  me  time  to  reply.  Of 
course,  I  thanked  her,  then  asked  her  address,  so  that  I 
could  repay  her.  She  declined  giving  it,  saying  smilingly 
that  if  I  felt  unwilling  to  be  indebted  to  a  stranger,  I 
could  return  the  favor  by  paying  at  some  future  time, 
the  fare  of  anyone  who  needed  it.  A  short  time  after, 
I  was  again  in  the  cars.  Seated  near  me  was  an  old 
woman,  very  poorly,  though  cleanly,  dressed.  I 
noticed  her  taking  out  of  her  pocket  a  colored  hand- 


54  A   BUSINESS   VENTURE  ;    OR, 

kerchief,  the  corner  of  which  she  unknotted,  and  took 
from  it  a  small  coin.  It  seemed  to  me  she  looked  at 
it  reluctantly,  as  though  loth  to  part  from  it,  and  sud- 
denly the  thought  struck  me,  here  is  my  chance  to 
repay  my  debt.  I  handed  in  the  fare  for  both.  Her 
delight  when  she  found  she  had  nothing  to  pay, 
was  really  touching.  She  leaned  over  in  her  impetu- 
ous French  way,  kissed  my  hand,  and  almost  sobbed 
out,  'Ah,  the  good  young  lady!  I  am  on  my  way  to 
see  my  sick  son,  and  I  would  have  to  walk  back — 
three  miles — and  I  am  old  and  weak — '  and  so  on,  her 
blessings  from  'Le  bon  Dietf  following  me  as  I  left  the 
car.  It  would  have  been  most  embarrassing  had  others 
been  present,  but  happily,  we  were  the  only  pas- 
sengers. Of  course,  in  one  way  it  was  a  trifle,  but 
the  resulting  happiness  was  great — a  happiness  which 
would  not  have  been  if  I  refused  that  lady's  offer. 
This  sounds  rather  like  a  sermon  though,"  added 
Eudora,  laughingly,  "and  I  certainly  did  not  intend 
any  such  thing.  Only,  dear  Gladys,  I  wish  you  could 
feel  with  me,  that  Mrs.  Warrings ford's  kindness  is 
but  a  part  of  the  'goodness  and  mercy'  making  up  this 
day,  and  but  another  proof  of  the  dear  L,ord's  care  for 
us — a  care  pervading  every  part  of  our  lives — our 
joys  as  well  as  our  sorrows." 

Gladys  turned  away  without  speaking,  and  for  the 
next  half  hour  Eudora  was  busy  in  the  store.  Then 
she  returned  to  Gladys,  who,  in  the  meantime,  had 
swept  out  both  rooms,  preparatory  to  receiving  the 
furniture.  Shortly  after,  two  men  arrived,  carrying  a 
carpet,  with  a  message  from  Mrs.  Warringsford  that 
they  had  orders  to  put  it  down.  It  wras  large  enough 


A   CHRISTIAN   OPTIMIST.  55 

for  both  rooms,  but  the  girls  objected  to  its  being  cut. 
That  was  the  order,  the  men  said,  and  forthwith  pro- 
ceeded to  obey  instructions.  How  pretty  it  was! 
Gray,  with  a  crimson  rosebud  scattered  here  and  there, 
matching  the  delicate  paper  on  the  walls — far  too 
handsome  for  such  a  place,  Gladys  said.  When  all 
was  done  the  men  retired,  shortly  returning  bearing  a 
bedstead,  then  a  bureau  and  washstand,  all  looking  as 
though  quite  new.  After  that  they  brought  in  a 
small  sofa,  a  few  chairs,  and  a  round  table,  which  was 
about  all  the  furniture  their  tiny  sitting-room  could 
contain. 

"How  fine  we  are!"  said  Kudora,  when  the  men  had 
finally  left.  *  'Now  we  must  put  up  a  few  pictures  and 
some  other  trifles,  to  make  the  place  look  really  home- 
like. It  begins  to  feel  that  way  to  me  already.  But 
what  will  Edna  say?  How  surprised  she  will  be!" 

"I  should  say  so,"  remarked  the  young  lady  in 
question,  as  she  walked  in  by  the  back  door.  "I  am 
so  astonished  I  can  hardly  speak!  How  in  the  world 
did  you  get  settled  so  soon,  and  where  did  all  those 
things  come  from  ?' ' 

Whereupon  Kudora  gave  her  sister  the  desired  in- 
formation, and  after  the  latter  had  duly  examined 
and  admired  everything,  all  three  set  to  work  making 
out  a  list  of  household  articles  necessary  for  beginning 
housekeeping.  Edna  was  more  practical  than  her  sis- 
ters, having  a  business  capacity  the  others  lacked. 

"I  have  been  pricing  coal  as  I  came  along."  she 
said,  when  they  were  seated  at  their  early  lunch.  "It 
is  enormous.  So  is  wood.  Most  people  use  either 
gas  or  gasoline  stoves,  or  even  large  coal -oil  lamps, 


56  A   BUSINESS   VENTURE;   OR, 

with  reflectors;  but  I  suppose  we  must  do  the  best  we 
can  with  this  crazy  old  stove.  Perhaps  it  is  just  as 
well  that  it's  not  any  larger.'* 

"But  I  thought  we  should  not  need  fire  for  any  thing 
but  cooking,"  said  Kudora.  "I  supposed  it  was  warm 
all  through  the  winter. ' ' 

"Well,  you  were  quite  wrong,  then,  as  you  will 
probably  find  out  before  long.  Of  course,  there  is  no 
such  cold  as  in  the  Hast;  but  they  say  there  are  many 
chilly  days,  especially  mornings  and  evenings,  after 
this  month,  though  some  winters  are  much  milder 
than  others.  Mr.  Crescent  says  he  has  a  fire  in  his 
room  every  morning  from  December  to  April,  and 
sometimes  later. ' ' 

"I  should  be  glad  of  it,"  said  Edna,  "if  it  were  not 
for  the  financial  consideration,  for  I  enjoy  cold  weather, 
and  think  continual  heat  would  become  somewhat  mo- 
notonous, if  not  enervating." 

"I*  agree  with  you,"  said  Gladys.  "  I  shall  cer- 
tainly miss  the  snow,  and  even  the  real  sharp,  stinging 
cold." 

"O,  well,  girls,"  remarked  Edna,  "it  may  be  colder 
than  you  expect.  This  may  be  one  of  the  exceptional 
winters  which  tourists  are  constantly  encountering. 
We  shall  have  to  manage  with  this  one  fire,  though, 
no  matter  what  the  weather  is.  We  can  wear  shawls, 
or  even  our  fur  capes,  when  in  the  store  on  cold  days, 
and  these  two  little  rooms  will  be  warmed  enough  from 
the  kitchen  by  leaving  the  doors  open  between.  I 
have  no  doubt  myself  that  it  will  be  as  jolly  as  can  be 
— I  beg  your  pardon,  Gladys,  I  mean  charming — but, 
privately,  I  think  'jolly'  is  the  better  word  of  the  two 


A   CHRISTIAN  OPTIMIST.  57 

to  express  the  situation  as  I  have  it  in  my  mind.    But, 
girls,  where  are  we  to  squeeze  in  for  the  night  ?' ' 

Then  Kudora  informed  her  sister  of  Mrs.  Warrings- 
ford's  invitation,  and  of  her  own  intention  of  accept- 
ing it;  upon  wrhich  Kdna  looked  grave,  as  she  hardly 
liked  the  idea  of  being  left  alone  with  Gladys.  How- 
ever, she  said  nothing,  and  present^  she  and  Gladys 
set  out  on  their  shopping  expedition,  the  latter  seem- 
ing eager  to  have  something  to  occupy  her  thoughts, 
and  evidently  desirous  of  hastening  their  change  of 
abode. 


58  A   BUSINESS   VKNTURK;    OR, 


CHAPTER  VII. 

The  following  day,  in  they  moved,  bag  and  bag- 
gage; Mr.  Crescent  sending  an  express  wagon  and 
personally  overseeing  the  removal  of  their  possessions, 
consisting  chiefly  of  trunks.  Before  the  others  were 
ready  to  leave,  Gladys  was  slipping  quietly  away, 
when  Edna  said:  "Why,  Gladys,  are  you  going  with- 
out saying  good-bye  to  Mrs.  Smith  ?' ' 

"O,  you  can  say  good-bye  for  me,"  replied  her 
sister,  as  she  hurried  off. 

"Another  queer  thing,"  thought  Edna.  "Gladys 
is  always  so  punctilious  in  such  matters.  I  do  wonder 
what  the  trouble  is!" 

In  the  afternoon,  while  they  were  resting  and  talk- 
ing over  matters,  Gabrielle,  with  whom  they  had  be- 
come acquainted,  and  Logan  ran  in.  Gabrielle  was  a 
tall,  graceful  girl,  twelve  years  of  age.  She  had  fair 
complexion  and  golden  hair  like  her  brother,  but,  un- 
like him,  her  eyes  were  dark.  They  had  both  the 
charming  ways  and  manners  of  thoroughly  well-bred 
children,  but  Gabrielle  had  not  Logan's  sweet,  unsel- 
fish disposition,  nor  had  he  her  quickness  and  delicacy 
of  perception.  The  little  girl  had  taken  quite  a  fancy 
to  Eudora,  and  was  therefore  delighted  to  hear  of  the 
proposed  plan  for  the  night. 

"Where  do  you  attend  school,  Gabrielle?"  inquired 
Gladys. 

"At  Miss  B 's,  not  very  far  from  here.  It's  a 

nice  school.  There  are  only  twelve  girls;  no  boys." 


A   CHRISTIAN   OPTIMIST.  59. 

"No,  they  won't  take  me,"  said  Logan;  "but  I 
don't  care;  I  like  better  to  stay  at  home.  Grandma 
teaches  me. " 

"What  does  she  teach  you?"  asked  Edna. 

"O,  nice  things:  'cat'  and  'dog'  and  'rat.'  I  can 
spell  them  all  and  more  too.  And  she  tells  me  stories. 
And  Mary — that's  my  nurse — teaches  me"  (in  a  sing- 
song voice)  "  'Up  in  a  tree,  Robin  I  see,  picking  them 
one  be  one'  " — 

"One  by  one,"  corrected  Gabrielle. 

"No;  one  be  one.  It's  her  song  and  she  knows. 
O" — with  a  rush  to  the  door,  as  Mr.  Crescent  entered, 
for  he  was  a  great  favorite  with  both  children;  and  for 
the  few  following  minutes  L,ogan  hung  about  him, 
chattering  incessantly,  until  Gabrielle  considerately 
took  him  home. 

"Come  and  see  how  nicely  we  have  everything 
fixed,"  said  Edna  (they  were  now  in  the  store),  and 
Mr.  Crescent  made  a  tour  of  inspection,  admiring  and 
exclaiming,  entirely  to  the  young  lady's  satisfaction. 
When  they  were  again  seated,  he  began: 

"Now,  young  ladies,  I  have  a  plan  in  my  head 
which  I  have  come  for  the  express  purpose  of  propos- 
ing to  you.  May  I  first  inquire  if  you  are  fond  of  the 
ocean  ?' ' 

The  affirmative  answer  was  unanimous.  Then  Mr. 
Crescent  continued: 

"So  far,  so  good.  Now,  I  presume  you  all  are 
aware  that  Christmas  is  approaching,  though  who 
would  imagine  it  to  look  out  upon  that  sun-lit  wealth 
of  flowers  over  yonder  ?  Our  eastern  tourists  are  be- 
ginning to  turn  their  faces  hitherward,  and  shortly 


60  A   BUSINKSS   VENTURE;    OR, 

before  Christmas  the  hotels  will  probably  be  well 
filled,  as  I  am  told  an  unusual  number  of  guests  are 
expected  this  winter.  These  people  are  always  on  the 
search  for  curios,  or  articles  of  any  kind  peculiar  to 
California,  to  send  as  tokens  to  their  eastern  friends. 
Knowing  something  of  your  artistic  taste  and  ability, 
it  has  occurred  to  me  that  you  might  prepare  some  of 
these  articles  yourselves.  You  would  probably  have  a 
good  sale  for  them  at  remunerative  prices.  For  ex- 
ample, I  have  seen  scalloped  shells,  or  even  clam- 
shells, filled  with  sea-mosses,  on  cardboard  cut  to  fit 
the  shells,  tied  together  with  ribbon  at  the  top.  You 
could  easily  do  that  kind  of  work,  and  your  united 
genius  will  suggest  new  and  heretofore  unthought-of 
combinations  in  the  same  line. ' ' 

"Many  thanks  for  the  suggestion,"  said  Gladys 
smiling.  "But  there  are  a  few  difficulties  in  the  way. 
In  the  first  place,  we  have  no  sea-mosses.  Secondly, 
we  don't  know  how  to  press  them  if  we  had  them — I 
tried  it  once  at  Newport,  but  had  no  success.  And  I 
am  sure  there  are  all  sorts  of  other  difficulties  which  I 
can  not  now  think  of." 

"Your  first  reason  sounds  very  plausible,  Miss 
Gladys,  to  say  nothing  of  the  second,  but  I  think  I 
can  dispose  of  both.  Behold!" 

Taking  out  of  his  pocket  a  tolerably  large-sized 
package  done  up  in  a  piece  of  newspaper,  he  untied  it 
and  displayed  a  mass  of  dried-up  stuff,  something  re- 
sembling Irish  moss  before  cooking,  though  much  finer 
and  darker  in  color. 

"Your  first  objection  is  already  disposed  of ;  here  is 
the  moss.  I  found  it  in  a  tiny  shop,  on  a  side  street  off 


A   CHRISTIAN   OPTIMIST.  6 1 

Broadway,  after  making  inquiries  at  all  the  other  curio 
stores  in  the  city.  They  had  plenty  of  mosses  pressed 
and  mounted,  but  that  was  not  what  we  wanted.  The 
man  told  me  he  had  gathered  these  at  the  Cataline 
Islands  and  elsewhere,  intending  to  prepare  them  him- 
self, but  had  given  up  the  idea  for  lack  of  time,  and 
was  glad  to  dispose  of  them  for  a  mere  trifle.  So 
much  for  the  moss — now,  for  the  preparation.  I  have 
a  lady  friend  at  my  hotel  who  understands  all  that  sort 
of  thing,  and  she  kindly  instructed  me  in  the  process. 
Are  you  specially  busy  at  present,  Miss  Gladys  ? ' ' 

"No,  our  busy  time  is  over  for  to-day,  I  think." 

"Well,  then,  Miss  Edna,  if  you  will  kindly  bring  me 
a  basin  of  water  I  shall  be  obliged  to  you.  Now,  I 
shall  take  some  sheets  from  this  writing  pad — O,  I 
also  need  a  few  small  pieces  of  white  muslin — and 
then  I  shall  be  ready  to  initiate  you  into  the  mysteries 
of  floating  and  pressing  sea-mosses. ' ' 

When  all  was  ready,  Mr.  Crescent  took  a  very  small 
piece  from  the  mass,  put  it  into  the  water,  and  lo  !  the 
dark-reddish,  withered-up  pinch  gradually  unfolded 
into  an  exquisitely  graceful  spray  of  a  brilliant  red 
color.  Underneath  it  he  slipped  a  piece  of  paper,  and 
when  it  was  well  spread  out  thereon  he  gently  and 
dexteriously  lifted  both  from  the  water,  without  al- 
lowing the  spray  to  fall  together  again.  Then,  with 
a  hat-pin,  he  carefully  picked  out  the  edges  here  and 
there,  making  it  as  perfect  as  possible. 

"That  is  all,"  he  said.  "Now  I  lay  it  on  this  flat 
piece  of  wood,  then  cover  with  this  piece  of  muslin. 
Upon  this  we  lay  others  prepared  in  the  same  manner, 
and  when  we  have  say  six  or  eight  in  a  pile,  we  will 


62  A  BUSINESS  VENTURE;  OR, 

lay  a  heavy  weight  on  top,  and  the  thing  is  done. 
Of  course,  you  can  prepare  as  many  piles  as  you  like, 
or  put  as  many  in  one  pile  as  you  choose,  but  the 
more  there  are  the  longer  they  take  to  dry. ' ' 

"How  lovely  !"  and,  "Thank  you  so  much,"  the 
girls  said,  as  Edna  took  the  basin  in  front  of  her  and 
prepared  to  float  more.  A  little  practice  enabled  her 
to  do  it  nicely,  and  she  became  so  fascinated  that  she 
was  unwilling  to  leave  off.  With  the  others'  help 
several  piles  were  soon  made,  with  but  very  little 
diminution  of  the  original  lump.  There  were  dark 
mosses  as  well  as  light  ones,  with  every  variation  of 
color  between,  red  predominating.  Some  of  the  sprays 
were  small,  some  large,  all  exquisite. 

"So  far,  so  good,"  said  Mr.  Crescent.  "Now  for 
the  shells.  They  are  for  sale  at  the  curio  stores,  but 
it  occurred  to  me  that  you  might  like  to  gather  them 
for  yourselves,  and  as  I  think  you  told  me  you  had 
not  yet  been  to  the  coast,  .a  trip  thitherward  would  not 
be  disagreeable.  Am  I  mistaken  in  my  surmise  ? ' ' 

"It  would  be  lovely,  indeed,"  replied  Gladys,  to 
whom  his  question  had  been  directed,  "but — " 

'  'There  are  no  'buts, '  Miss  Gladys.  It  is  all  arranged. 
Mrs.  Warringsford  has  been  desirous  for  some  time  past 
to  take  the  children  for  a  day's  outing  on  the  beach, 
and  my  proposal  of  having  you  join  the  party  induced 
her  to  decide  upon  going  at  once.  Now,  there  are 
quantities  of  the  kind  of  shells  we  want  at  Long 
Beach,  and  although  the  tide  is  not  just  as  low  as  we 
would  like  it,  and  as  it  will  be  later,  still  no  doubt  we 
can  procure  all  you  can  use  for  a  long  time  to  come. ' ' 


A  CHRISTIAN   OPTIMIST.  63 

"Why,  I  thought  there  was  low  tide  more  than  once 
every  day!"  exclaimed  Edna. 

"So  there  is,  Miss  Edna;  but  there  are  certain  pe- 
riods in  the  year  when  the  tide  is  specially  low;  this  is 
the  best  time  for  gathering  the  finer  kind  of  shells. 
The  ones  we  need  are  to  be  had,  in  more  or  less 
abundance,  at  almost  any  ordinary  low  tide." 

"Can  we  also  get  sea- mosses  ?"  asked  Edna. 

"Not  at  L,ong  Beach,  Miss  Edna;  nor,  in  fact,  at 
any  of  the  beaches  close  to  L,os  Angeles — at  least,  as 
far  as  I  know.  Some  other  time  we  shall  spread  our 
wings  and  take  a  longer  flight,  but  just  at  present 
we  must  be  contented  nearer  home.  Mrs.  Warrings- 
ford  has  decided  upon  the  day  after  to-morrow,  if  that 
suits  your  convenience,  and  I  therefore  extend  you 
the  invitation  in  my  name  as  host  and  in  her  name  as 
chaperon. ' ' 

All  the  girls  thanked  him  warmly,  and  then  Eudora 
said: 

"It  won't  do  to  close  the  store,  you  know.  As  I 
have  been  such  a  short  time  in  California,  I  am  not 
supposed  to  have  seen  all  the  sights,  as  the  others  are, 
so  I  shall  stay  at  home  and  keep  store." 

"O  no,"  said  Gladys.  "Do  let  me  stay.  Indeed,  I 
would  rather.  I  should,  indeed." 

But  the  cloud  overspreading  Mr.  Crescent's  counte- 
nance confirmed  Eudora  in  her  suspicion  that  Gladys' 
absence  would  spoil  the  entire  party,  so  far  as  he  was 
concerned;  she  therefore  persisted  in  her  determina- 
tion, and  sunshine  reigned  once  more. 

"We  go  by  train  at  nine  A.  M.,"  said  Mr.  Crescent. 
"You  had  better  take  warm  wraps,  as  the  wind  is  apt 


64  A    BUSINESS  VENTURE;    OR, 

to  be  somewhat  lively  down  there  at  this  season;  also 
rubbers,  as  it  is  impossible  to  prevent  the  feet  from 
getting  wet  while  picking  up  shells  at  low  tide. ' ' 

"It  all  sounds  so  perfectly  delightful!"  exclaimed 
Edna,  "and  it 's  ever  so  good  of  you,  Mr.  Crescent,  to 
take  so  much  trouble  for  our  pleasure!" 

About  nine  o'clock  that  evening,  Mary,  the  nurse, 
came  over,  saying  that  Mrs.  Warringsford  had  sent 
her  to  show  Miss  Eudora  the  way  to  her  new  quarters, 
and  with  affectionate  good-nights  Eudora  departed. 
Mrs.  Warringsford  met  her  at  the  door,  welcomed 
her  warmly,  then  took  her  upstairs  to  her  room,  where 
a  cheerful  fire  was  burning  in  a  grate — the  first  Eudora 
had  seen  since  coming  to  California.  Eastern  people 
do  not  take  kindly  to  the  no-fire  system,  and  even 
acclimated  Californians  are  beginning  to  find  out  more 
and  more  that  a  moderate  degree  of  warmth  is  con- 
ducive, not  only  to  comfort,  but  to  health,  so  that 
houses,  at  the  present  day,  are  mostly  built  with 
grates. 

'  'How  delightful !' '  exclaimed  Eudora.  ' 'This  looks 
like  home. ' ' 

"Yes,"  said  Mrs.  Warringsford,  "I  knew  you  would 
enjoy  it,  though  it  is  not  really  cold  to-night.  Ga- 
brielle  did  her  best  to  keep  awake  until  you  should 
come  over,  but  was  forced  to  succumb  at  last.  Now, 
my  dear,  make  yourself  quite  at  home;  if  you  need 
anything,  ring  this  bell,  and  Mary  will  come.  I  hope 
you  do  not  feel  uneasy  at  leaving  your  sisters  alone?" 

Eudora  hesitated.  "Not  exactly  uneasy,  Mrs. 
Warringsford,  but  it  does  seem  rather  desolate  for 


A   CHRISTIAN   OPTIMIST.  65 

them,  unaccustomed  as  they  are  to  being  in  a  build- 
ing entirely  alone." 

"Indeed,  it  does,  my  dear.  Mr.  Crescent  and  I 
were  speaking  about  it  this  very  afternoon,  and  I 
think  we  have  thought  of  a  plan  which  will  make  all 
parties  feel  comfortable.  You  shall  hear  about  it  to- 
morrow, but  now  I  ought  not  to  detain  you,  for  I 
know  how  tired  you  must  be,  from  all  you  have  had 
to  do  to-day.  So  good-night,  my  dear,  and  pleasant 
dreams. ' ' 

"Good  night,  Mrs.  Warringsford,  and  thank  you  so 
much." 

Next  morning  Eudora  slipped  away  early  before 
Gabrielle  was  awake,  for  she  felt  a  little  anxious  to 
know  how  her  sisters  had  spent  the  night.  Edna  met 
her  at  the  door,  and  signed  to  her  not  to  make  a  noise 
as  Gladj^s  was  still  sleeping. 

"She  hardly  slept  all  night,"  Edna  whispered. 
1  'She  thought  I  did  not  hear  her,  but  every  once  in 
a  while  I  felt  the  bed  shake,  and  I  know  she  was 
sobbing. ' ' 

There  were  tears  in  Edna's  own  eyes,  and  she  was 
paler  than  Eudora  had  yet  seen  her. 

"O,  well,  dear,"  she  said,  soothingly,  "Glad3^s  will 
get  over  it  after  awhile.  She  may  possibly  be  think- 
ing of  father;  perhaps  something  of  late  may  have 
brought  him  up  specially  vividly  to  her  mind. ' ' 

"That  can  hardly  be,"  said  Edna,  while  she  as 
noiselessly  as  possible  lighted  the  fire.  "It  came  so 
suddenly,  and  is  lasting  so  long.  I  am  afraid  it  is 
just  something  dreadful.  O,  I  wish  we  knew!  " 

"It  is  all  in  our  Father's  hands,  dear  Edna.     He 


66  A   BUSINESS  VKNTURK;    OR, 

loves  her  even  better  than  we  do.  No  doubt  in  some 
way  she  needs  the  discipline — and  we,  too — or  it 
would  not  be.  So  be  comforted.  Some  good  is  sure 
to  come  out  of  it.  Besides,  she  is  not  nearly  so  bad 
as  she  was  the  first  day;  it  will  gradually  pass  away. 
L,ook  up  there  at  that  verse  on  our  calendar: 

'  Build  a  little  fence  of  trust  around  to-day; 
Fill  the  place  with  loving  deeds  and  therein  stay. 
Ivook  not  through  the  shelf  ring  bars  upon  to-morrow; 
God  will  help  thee  bear  what  comes,  of  joy  or  sorrow.'  " 

"O,  Eudora,  what  would  we  do  without  you!  "  ex- 
claimed Edna.  "I  was  so  miserable  last  night  and 
this  morning,  and  it  seemed  as  if  I  never  would  be 
happy  again.  And  now  I  feel  ever  so  much  brighter ! ' ' 

Gladys'  demeanor,  when  she  joined  them  at  break- 
fast, was  about  as  usual,  the  heavy  lines  under  her 
eyes  alone  betokening  her  sleeplessness  and  mental 
conflict.  Of  this,  however,  Edna's  inexperience  took 
no  note,  and  she  was  doubly  re-assured  by  her  sister's 
outward  calmness. 

Later  in  the  day,  Mrs.  Warringsford,  accompanied 
by  a  man  carrying  a  box  of  tools,  came  in  to  ask  if 
she  might  take  the  liberty  of  having  an  electric  bell 
put  up  between  their  place  and  Eudora's  room  in  the 
other  house.  "It  would  make  us  all  feel  so  much 
more  comfortable,"  she  said;  and  of  course  the  girls 
gratefully  consented. 


A   CHRISTIAN   OPTIMIST.  67 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

The  following  morning  dawned  clear  and  beautiful, 
without  even  a  trace  of  the  fog  which  so  often  ushers 
in  a  perfect  day  in  that  locality.  Mrs.  Warringsford's 
carriage  was  at  the  door  at  precisely  eight  o'clock. 
Mr.  Warringsford  had  previously  gone  with  the  chil- 
dren and  nurse  in  the  electric  cars  to  the  station, 
where  Mr.  Crescent  was  to  join  them. 

A  twenty-minutes  drive  brought  them  to  the  Arcade 
depot.  As  the  carriage  stopped,  Mr.  Crescent  came 
forward  to  assist  the  ladies  to  alight;  a  tall,  hand- 
some young  man  stood  beside  him. 

"Why,  Ernest!"  exclaimed  Mrs.  Warringsford, 
joyfully.  '  'When  did  you  arrive  ?  ' ' 

'  %ate  last  night,  mother;  so  late  that  I  would  not 
disturb  you,  but  went  to  Mr.  Crescent's  hotel,  intend- 
ing to  surprise  you  early  this  morning.  But  he  in- 
formed me  of  the  proposed  excursion,  and  I  concluded 
to  meet  you  here,  hoping  you  might  possibly  add  me 
to  your  party." 

"Most  gladly,  my  son."  And  then  Mrs.  Warrings- 
ford presented  him  to  the  girls. 

The  children  were  awaiting  them  inside.  Both 
greeted  their  father  rapturously. 

"O,  papa!  We  didn't  know  you  were  coming! 
When  did  you  come  ?  How  did  you  know  we  were 
here  ?' '  But  they  never  waited  for  an  answer,  quite 
satisfied  with  the  fact  that  their  father  was  really 


68  A   BUSINESS   VENTURE  ;    OR, 

there.  Soon  the  train  puffed  in,  and  they  were  fairly 
off .  Three  quarters  of  an  hour  brought  them  to  their 
destination — landing  them  in  the  town  of  Long  Beach, 
instead  of  somewhere  on  the  sea-shore,  as  Edna  had 
vaguely  supposed  would  be  the  case.  They  had  quite 
a  little  walk  to  the  Beach,  but  it  was  a  charming  one — 
through  a  park  filled  with  luxuriant  foliage  and  ever- 
greens forming  summer-houses,  arches  and  other  fancy 
decorations.  As  they  emerged  from  it,  a  -few  steps 
brought  them  to  the  edge  of  a  high  bank,  down  which 
were  wooden  steps  leading  to  the  shore.  How  glorious 
that  first  sight  of  the  Pacific  Ocean!  The  waves 
sparkled  in  the  sun-light,  as  the  wind  tossed  their 
crests  into  foam,  and  they  chased  each  other  perpetually, 
in  a  wild  rush  for  the  shore.  The  beach  was  a  wide, 
smooth  extent  of  sand ;  no  rocks  to  make  the  scene 
more  picturesque,  but  less  dangerous  for  children 
in  consequence,  and  therefore  a  popular  family  resort. 
The  day  was  perfect.  The  sun  had  already  tempered 
the  crispness  of  the  early  morning  air,  and  but  little 
wind  was  blowing.  Mary  had  brought  a  camp  chair 
for  Mrs.  Warringsford,  who  was  soon  seated  beyond 
the  damp  line — for  the  tide  was  going  out — and  with 
her  fur  cape  around  her,  and  her  feet  imbedded  in  the 
warm,  dry  sand,  she  declared  that  she  was  more  than 
comfortable. 

Mary  had  provided  both  children  with  a  calico  bag  as 
a  receptacle  for  their  treasures,  and  they  were  eager  to 
fill  them.  There  were  a  few  scattered  shells  on  the 
wet  sand,  but  Mr.  Crescent  said  there  would  be  more 
when  the  tide  was  lower. 

Soon  the  others  were  busy  picking   up  whatever 


A   CHRISTIAN   OPTIMIST.  69 

treasures  they  could  find,  each  one  differing  as  to  his 
or  her  idea  of  what  a  "treasure"  consisted  in;  this 
one  passing  by  carelessly  what  that  one  snatched  up 
rejoicingly.  And  therein  lies  a  moral ;  but  this  is  a 
story,  and  the  reader  may  search  out  the  moral  for 
himself  if  so  disposed. 

Mr.  Krnest  Warringsford  soon  threw  himself  on  the 
sand  at  his  mother's  feet,  "to  give  my  dear  mother  a 
full,  particular  and  exhaustive  account  of  myself  dur- 
ing my  month's  absence,"  he  laughingly  said. 

Mr.  Crescent  took  possession  of  Gladys'  satchel  and 
devoted  himself  to  her  entertainment,  now  and  then 
picking  up  a  peculiarly  pretty  shell  or  pebble,  but 
generally  only  sauntering  idly  along  the  beach,  in 
pleasant  converse.  Mary  had  her  hands  full  trying 
to  keep  the  children  from  venturing  too  far  after  the 
retreating  waves,  thus  running  the  risk  of  being  over- 
taken by  the  oncoming  waters  before  they  could  get 
out  of  reach.  Edna  was  therefore  really  the  only  one 
who  settled  down  to  business,  and  faithfully  picked 
up  shell  after  shell  as  soon  as  spied.  It  was  an  un- 
usually good  day  for  shells — so  said  a  boy  who  was 
sauntering  idly  along  the  shore.  As  he  passed  Kdna, 
she  asked  him  a  question,  which  led  to  more,  and 
soon  the  lad  became  quite  friendly,  even  to  the  extent 
of  removing  his  shoes  and  stockings,  and  wading  for 
treasures  out  of  Edna's  reach. 

"I  don't  see  where  you  find  so  many  shells  to  pick 
up,"  said  Gladys,  as  they  sauntered  near  her  sister 
again.  "I  am  sure  we  have  scarcely  seen  any,  and 
you  seem  to  have  quite  a  number. ' ' 

"I  have  often  heard,"  replied  Edna,  saucily,  "that 


70  A   BUSINESS   VENTURE  ;    OR, 

the  sea  never  reveals  her  treasures  except  to  earnest 
seekers  ;  and  really,  Mr.  Crescent  and  yourself  scarcely 
strike  me  as  coming  under  that  category." 

"O,  well,  Miss  Edna,"  said  Mr.  Crescent,  "we  are 
at  present  merely  skirmishing  ;  by  and  bye  we  shall  set 
to  the  conflict  in  dead  earnest.  But  just  at  this 
moment,  we  have  some  business  up  in  the  town ;  so 
we  shall  excuse  ourselves  and  hope  to  rejoin  you  in  the 
course  of  half  an  hour. ' ' 

As  they  passed  Mrs.  Warringsford,  Mr.  Crescent 
informed  her  likewise  of  their  purpose.  Soon  the  two 
were  up  the  steps  again,  and  a  short  walk  brought 
them  into  the  town.  Mr.  Crescent  entered  a  small 
hotel,  where  he  held  a  colloquy  with  the  powers  in- 
side; then  rejoined  Gladys,  who  had  remained  with- 
out, looking  at  some  articles  in  a  curio  shop  near  by. 
When  they  returned  to  the  beach,  Gladys  set  dili- 
gently to  work  to  help  her  sister,  and  the  tide  being 
now  entirely  gone  out,  they  had  soon  a  goodly  number 
of  shells  collected.  The  variegated  tints  and  stripes 
of  the  very  small  clam-shells  were  lovely,  some  being 
of  a  bright  yellow  color;  and  Gladys'  artistic  eye  saw 
endless  possibilities  therein.  Presently  Mr.  Ernest 
joined  them,  Mr.  Crescent  taking  his  place  beside  Mrs. 
Warringsford . 

"Papa,"  said  Logan,  "I  do  wish  you  would  go  in 
wading  like  that  boy.  You  could  get  us  lots  of  pretty 
things. ' ' 

But  his  father  smilingly  declined. 

At  a  quarter  before  one,  Mr.  Crescent  summoned 
the  party  together,  and  they  all  proceeded  to  the 
hotel,  where  he  had  ordered  luncheon.  As  they 


A   CHRISTIAN    OPTIMIST.  71 

passed  by  a  long,  low,  wooden  building,  upon  the 
walls  of  which  were  rudely  printed  in  large  letters, 
"Clam  Chowder,"  Gabrielle  exclaimed:  "Papa,  why 
couldn't  we  have  gone  in  there  and  had  dinner?" 

"In  the  first  place,  little  daughter,  we  have  been  in- 
vited elsewhere.  Secondly,  the  sign  'Clam  Chowder' 
is  a  base  deception,  there  being  absolutely  nothing  to 
be  had  in  that  building  until  the  season  shall  have 
fairly  opened." 

They  had  a  merry  repast  at  a  retired  table  in  the 
general  dining-room,  the  hotel  not  boasting  of  more 
private  accommodations.  All  did  their  best  to  be 
cheerful,  Mr.  Ernest  making  a  special  effort  to  be  en- 
tertaining; but  it  was  evident  that  it  was  an  exertion, 
for  he  was  naturally  of  a  taciturn  disposition,  and  re- 
lapsed into  grave  silence  when  the  effort  was  over. 

1  'How  nice  he  is!"  thought  Kdna.  "I  do  like  serious 
men." 

"How  much  more  agreeable  Mr.  Crescent  is," 
thought  Gladys.  "The  two  are  not  to  be  compared. 
Older  men  are  so  much  more  interesting  than  younger 
ones. ' ' 

The  excitement  had  temporarily  driven  her  gloom 
away,  causing  her  to  appear  almost  like  her  former 
self.  At  times,  however,  recollection  would  suddenly 
return,  and  a  spasm  of  pain  would  contract  her  coun- 
tenance. Many  a  furtive  glance  had  Mr.  Crescent 
given  her  during  the  course  of  the  day,  and  a  look  of 
grave  concern  occasionally  overspread  his  usually 
cheerful  appearance.  While  returning  home  in  the 
train,  he  and  Mrs.  Warringsford  happened  to  be  seated 
side  by  side,  a  little  apart  from  the  others.  After 


72  A   BUSINESS  VENTURE)    OR, 

some  general  conversation,  the  lady  remarked  in  a  low 
tone:  "Have  you  noticed,  Mr.  Crescent,  how  badly 
Miss  Gladys  is  looking  of  late  ?' ' 

"Indeed  I  have,  Mrs.  Warringsford.  It  is  too  evi- 
dent to  escape  notice. ' ' 

"I  fear  the  entire  change  in  their  way  of  living  is 
too  much  for  her  strength.  I  understand  they  had 
formerly  everything  that  heart  could  desire." 

"That  is  true,  Mrs.  Warringsford.  Their  father 
was  very  wealthy  at  one  time.  He  almost  idolized 
these  girls,  especially  Gladys,  I  have  heard,  lavishing 
upon  her  everything  that  money  could  obtain.  But  if 
I  read  her  rightly,  she  has  too  much  character  to  allow 
reverses  or  difficulties  of  any  kind  easily  to  overcome 
her.  No,  I  am  persuaded  that  is  not  the  matter. ' ' 

"Probably  you  are  right,"  said  Mrs.  Warringsford,- 
thoughtfully.  "For  the  day  I  first  met  her,  while  she 
had  an  air  of  sadness  entirely  natural  to  one  having 
lately  passed  through  such  a  sorrow,  yet  she  certainly 
did  not  look  as  she  does  now.  And  she  is  so  thin — the 
dear  girl!  I  am  really  much  concerned  about  her.  I 
am  becoming  attached  to  all  those  young  ladies,  but  I 
must  acknowledge  that,  so  far,  my  preference  is  for 
Miss  Kudora.  She  strikes  me  as  being  superior,  in 
some  respects,  to  her  sisters,  though  they  are  all  re- 
fined and  lovely. ' ' 

If  Mr.  Crescent  did  not  agree  with  his  friend  in  re- 
gard to  Kudora,  he  kept  his  opinion  to  himself,  merely 
remarking:  "Yes,  they  are  very  charming  young  la- 
dies," and  then  changed  the  subject. 

Mrs.  Warringsford 's  carriage  was  in  waiting  at  the 
depot,  and  soon  Gladys  and  Edna  were  deposited 


A   CHRISTIAN   OPTIMIST.  73 

safely  at  their  own  door.  Kudora  greeted  them 
warmly. 

"Why,  it  seems  as  if  you  had  been  away  for  a 
week,"  she  said,  brightly.  "I  have  kept  store  finely, 
and  have  sold  ever  so  much.  But,  girls,  I  have  a  con- 
fession to  make.  Really  and  truly,  I  havn't  a  thing 
for  supper — only  bread.  We  all  forgot  that  I  could 
not  leave  the  store  to  buy  provisions,  and  there  is 
nothing  left  from  breakfast  except  half  a  loaf  of  bread. 
But,  now  you  are  home,  I  shall  go  to  the  nearest  res- 
taurant, and  you  will  soon  see  the  result. ' ' 

As  she  was  engaged  in  putting  on  her  hat,  a  knock 
came  to  the  back  door,  and  there  stood  Mrs.  Warrings- 
ford's  butler,  bearing  a  large  waiter  covered  by  a 
napkin. 

"Mrs.  Warringsford  sent  this  with  her  compli- 
ments, ' '  said  the  man,  respectfully.  '  'There  is  a  note 
on  the  waiter. ' ' 

He  laid  his  load  on  the  table,  and,  remarking  that 
he  would  come  for  the  dishes  later,  took  his  departure. 

"O,  how  lovely!"  exclaimed  Edna,  as  she  lifted 
the  napkin.  "Girls,  do  come  and  see!  You  can  take 
off  your  hat,  Eudora;  here  are  provisions  enough  to 
last  for  a  week." 

The  note  was  addressed  to  Eudora,  and  was  as 
follows: 

My  Dear  Miss  Eudora: 

I  had  prepared  a  lunch  for  our  picnic,  but  found 
that  our  friend,  Mr.  Crescent,  had  made  other  arrange- 
ments.    I,  therefore,  send  you  your  rightful  share  of 
4 


74  A   BUSINESS   VENTURE;    OR, 

the  treat,  and  hope  you  will  enjoy  it  as  much  as  we 
expect  to  enjoy  ours. 

Sincerely  your  friend, 

Iv.  WARRINGSFORD. 

"How  kind,"  said  Kudora.  "Well,  girls,  I  am 
truly  much  relieved,  for  you  know  I  am  not  accus- 
tomed to  buying  provisions,  and  was  not  remarkably 
successful  the  last  and  only  time  I  tried  it. ' ' 

"Well,  I  declare!"  exclaimed  Edna,  as  one  cover 
after  another  was  lifted.  "Quail  on  toast,  fried 
chicken,  oyster  patties,  Charlotte  Russes,  jellies,  cel- 
ery and  all  manner  of  etceteras.  This  is  a  treat  sure 
enough.  There  is  enough  for  a  dozen  people.  Well, 
Kudora,  I  suppose  this  will  help  to  make  up  your 
little  song  tonight,  wont  it?" 

"Certainly,  dear.  It  is  surely  a  part  of  the  good- 
ness and  mercy  following  us  all  through  the  day.  We 
have  only  to  open  our  faith- eyes  to  see  an  endless  pro- 
cession of  blessings. ' ' 

After  supper  was  cleared  away,  Kdna  produced  the 
bag  which  she  had  nearly  rilled  with  shells,  and 
emptied  the  contents  upon  the  table,  sand  and  all. 
"It  is  a  good  thing  that  this  is  the  kitchen  table," 
said  Gladys.  "But  it  would  have  been  all  the  same 
where  Kdna  is  concerned. ' ' 

"Now,  Gladys,  that  is  a  dreadful  insinuation,"  said 
Kdna,  privately  delighted  to  hear  her  sister  speak  in 
her  former  sarcastic  manner;  of  late  she  had  not 
seemed  to  have  spirits  enough  for  sarcasm.  "And  I 
have  something  to  tell  about  you.  Where  is  your 
satchel  ?  Produce  it,  and  let  Kudora  see  the  contents. ' ' 


A   CHRISTIAN   OPTIMIST.  75 

"Very  well,"  said  Gladys,  in  her  calm,  slow  way. 
"She  is  quite  welcome  to  the  sight,  if  it  will  afford 
her  any  pleasure. "  And  she  brought  the  satchel,  and 
added  its  contents  to  her  sister's  pile. 

"About  twenty  shells,"  said  Edna.  "You  see, 
Eudora,  she  was  otherwise  engaged.  Besides,  I  sus- 
pect her  dignity  prevented  her  from  stooping  as  often 
as  she  might  have  felt  inclined. ' ' 

"You  are  mistaken,  my  dear.  But  I  certainly  give 
you  credit  for  indefatigable  patience  and  industry." 

"L,ook  how  handsome  some  of  those  shells  are," 
said  Edna.  "But  they  do  not  look  half  so  pretty  as 
they  did  down  at  the  beach.  What  is  the  matter  ?  ' ' 

"Because  they  are  dry,"  said  Gladys,  "and  the  lime 
on  them  shows  more  plainly.  We  must  soak  them  in 
a  solution  of  muriatic  acid  and  water  to  remove  the 
lime,  then  give  them  a  slight  coat  of  varnish.  That 
is  the  way  they  have  treated  those  we  see  in  the  stores, 
Mr.  Crescent  says." 

"Then  we  had  better  set  to  work  at  once,"  said 
Edna,  "to  get  everything  ready.  The  mosses  will  be 
dry  by  to-morrow,  and  when  they  are  arranged,  the 
varnish  will  be  dry.  You  know,  Gladys,  we  are  de- 
pending on  your  artistic  ability  to  make  this  thing  a 
success.  We  shall  act  under  your  directions." 

Gladys  did  not  at  once  reply,  and  Eudora,  glancing 
up  at  her,  saw  that  sudden  look  of  distress,  so  com- 
mon of  late,  pass  over  her  countenance.  But  she  only 
replied  in  her  usual  calm  tones,  "I  shall  do  the  best  I 
can,  though  I  fear  you  overrate  my  skill." 

Exceedingly  busy  were  the  few  following  days,  and 
at  their  close,  there  was  quite  a  display  of  pretty 


76  A   BUSINESS   VKNTURK;    OR, 

trifles.  Cards  of  sea-mosses  arrangedl  ike  baskets, 
with  shells  dotted  over  them  here  and  there — Mr. 
Crescent  had  brought  them  a  small  box  of  tiny  shells 
suited  for  the  purpose.  Some  larger  cards  with  the 
mosses  arranged  in  the  form  of  a  cross,  or  other  de- 
signs ;  about  two  dozen  pairs  of  large  shells  tied  to- 
gether with  narrow,  bright-colored  ribbons,  of  which 
Edna  produced  a  bagful — "the  remains  of  my  doll- 
hood  days, ' '  she  said.  These  were  filled  with  card- 
board cut  to  fit  the  shells — perhaps  six  in  each — upon 
which  were  fastened  with  library  paste  tiny  sprays  of 
mosses  of  every  shade  of  color.  Upon  the  inside  of 
some  of  the  single  shells  Gladys  had  painted  pretty 
little  sea-views,  all  of  which,  tastefully  arranged  in  the 
window  and  counter,  formed  a  charming  display.  Mrs. 
Warringsford  was  delighted. 

"My  dear  girls,"  she  said,  "you  have  made  a  great 
success.  I  must  notify  some  of  my  friends  who  are 
looking  for  remembrances  to  send  Hast.  I  am  also  on 
the  same  search,  and  as  many  of  these  are  the  most 
artistic  I  have  seen  in  that  line,  I  shall  be  your  first 
customer. ' ' 

"I  must  also  have  some,  to  send  to  my  daughter 
and  her  family,"  said  Jlr.  Crescent,  who  wTas  more 
than  delighted  with  his  protege's  success.  "I  had  no 
idea,  Miss  Gladys,  that  you  painted  so  well.  You  are 
really  quite  an  artist,  though  your  modesty  led  me  to 
believe  that  you  were  a  mere  dauber. ' ' 

"Indeed,"  said  Kdna,  "Gladys  took  lessons  of  one 
of  the  finest  artists  in  New  York;  and  he  said  jokingly 
one  day,  that  if  she  ever  needed  to  make  her  living  in 
that  way,  she  was  quite  competent  to  do  so.  But 


A   CHRISTIAN   OPTIMIST.  77 

Gladys  never  believed  it,  but  always  said  she  only 
smattered. ' ' 

Within  the  few  following  days,  their  sales  were 
many  and  profitable,  for  during  the  holiday  season 
these  California  souvenirs  sell  at  a  high  price  when 
really  well  done.  Gabrielle  had  watched  with  deep 
interest  their  progress.  "O,  how  I  wish  I  could 
paint!"  she  would  often  say.  "I  have  been  begging 
Grandma  to  let  me  take  lessons,  but  she  always  says, 
not  yet,  it  would  interfere  with  my  studies;  for  I  am 
rather  backward,  you  see,  in  some  things.  But  if  she 
would  only  allow  me  to  learn,  I  would  try  just  as  hard 
in  everything  else.  Do  coax  her  to  let  me  take  les- 
sons, Miss  Gladys." 

"Perhaps,  if  you  try  very  hard  now  in  the  studies 
in  which  you  are  deficient,  you  might  soon  gain  your 
wish,"  said  Gladys. 

And  Gabrielle  made  a  firm  resolve  upon  the  spot  to 
that  effect. 

By  Christmas,  almost  everything  had  been  sold,  and 
the  girls  found  they  had  realized  almost  thirty  dollars 
from  the  sale  of  those  articles  alone,  besides  having 
sold  more  than  usual  that  week-  of  their  ordinary 
goods. 


78  A   BUSINESS   VENTURE;    OR, 


CHAPTER   IX. 

Mrs.  Warringsford  had  given  the  girls  an  urgent 
invitation  to  join  her  family  in  their  Christmas  dinner, 
but  Kudora  had  agreed  with  Gladys  that  it  was  best  to 
decline  the  kindness,  somewhat  to  the  disappointment 
of  Edna,  who  could  see  no  reason  for  such  declination. 

"Well,"  said  Mrs.  Warringsford,  "if  you  will  not 
give  us  the  pleasure  of  your  society,  you  shall  at  least 
not  spend  the  day  in  cooking." 

And  this  much,  at  least,  they  could  do  no  otherwise 
than  accept.  Memories  of  the  happy  past  came  over 
each  heart  on  that  sunny  Christmas  morning,  so  un- 
like the  frosty  landscape  their  eyes  had  been  accus- 
tomed to  dwell  upon  at  this  season — so  unlike  their 
position,  also,  in  every  other  respect.  Each  had  pre- 
pared a  little  gift  for  the  others,  Kudora  having  re- 
served for  this  occasion  some  handsome  books  for 
Gladys,  and  for  Edna  some  pretty  trifles,  in  dress 
especially,  which  she  had  bought  when  in  Paris.  As 
they  sat  lingering  over  their  late  breakfast — the  store 
was  closed  for  the  day — a  series  of  faint  thumps  came 
upon  the  kitchen  door.  Edna  opened  it,  and  there 
stood,  just  as  ragged  as  of  yore,  their  first  customer! 
This  time,  a  tiny  girl  was  beside  him,  thin  as  himself, 
and  with  the  same  large,  hungry,  brown  eyes. 

"Good  morning,"  said  Edna,  pleasantly,  as  without 
awaiting  an  invitation  both  pushed  their  way  in. 

"Good  morning,  little   man,"  said   Eudora,  as  he 


A   CHRISTIAN   OPTIMIST.  79 

came  over  to  the  table  and  stared  hungrily  at  the 
food.  '  'Is  this  your  little  sister  ?  ' ' 

"Yes,  that's  Sissy.     She's  hungry,  and  so  am  I." 

"Had  you  no  breakfast?"  asked  Kdna,  as  Kudora 
proceeded  to  cut  two  generous  slices  of  bread  and 
butter. 

"No,  nothin'  but  a  cracker.  And  pap  an'  mam's 
both  drunk  this  mornin',  'cause  its  Christmas — an'  I 
told  Sissy  you'd  give  us  somethin'." 

"How  old  is  Sissy?" 

'  'Six,  an'  I'm  eight.  An'  there's  a  baby — but  I  don't 
take  no  stock  in  him,  an'  I  wish  he  wasn't  never 
borned.  He  screams  an'  cries  all  the  time. ' ' 

lyarge  mouthfuls  now  stopped  his  utterance  for  the 
time  being,  and  Budora  drew  Gladys  into  the  next 
room. 

"Gladys,  shall  we  invite  these  children  to  be  our 
Christmas  guests?  We  are  sure  to  have  far  more 
than  we  need  for  ourselves,  and  I  think  we  should  all 
enjoy  it  better  if  these  little  waifs  had  plenty  too." 

"Just  as  you  like,"  replied  her  sister  indifferently. 
"I  am  sure  I  have  no  objection." 

And  somehow  into  her  mind  came  floating  words 
she  had  once  read  in  her  happy,  careless  days: 

"Is  thy  cup  of  comfort  waning? 
Rise  and  share  it  with  another." 

O,  surely,  her  cup  of  comfort  had  utterly  run  out. 
Could  anything,  in  earth  or  Heaven,  ever  fill  it 
again  ! 

About  one  o'clock  their  dinner  arrived — an  early 
one,  Mrs.  Warringsford  had  previously  informed 


80  A   BUSINESS   VENTURE;    OR, 

them,  on  account  of  the  children.  Gabrielle  and 
I^ogan  had  already  made  them  a  short  call,  bearing 
a  wealth  of  roses  and  other  flowers,  such  as  only 
California  can  supply  in  December.  Hdna  had  brought 
into  requisition  every  spare  tumbler  and  dish  which 
the  house  could  afford — having  no  vases — even  utiliz- 
ing some  old  tin  cans,  concealing  their  identity  with 
festoons  of  smilax.  Each  room,  including  the  store, 
was  adorned  with  fragrant  blossoms. 

'  'This  is  something  we  did  not  have  in  our  eastern 
home,"  said  Kudora.  "Do  look  at  those  immense 
dark  roses,  and  that  variety  of  yellow,  and  those 
exquisite  deep  and  pale  pink  buds.  And  what  im- 
mense fuschias  !  I  never  saw  such  large  ones.  What 
quantities  of  daisies,  too  ;  those  came  off  that  large 
bush  over  there — it  is  so  strange  to  have  bushes  of 
daisies.  And  O,  Gladys,  here  is  mignonette — father's 
favorite  flower — I  thought  1  detected  the  odor." 

But  Gladys  had  suddenly  turned  away,  as  though 
she  had  not  heard,  and  presently  she  left  the  room. 
A  few  moments  after  the  arrival  of  dinner  their  guests 
appeared,  with  faces  and  hands  clean  in  streaks,  hair 
plastered  down  with  water,  and  a  slight  improvement 
on  the  morning's  rags.  But  to  the  girls'  surprise 
they  were  not  alone.  lyUgged  in  the  boy's  thin  arms 
was  a  ten-months  old  baby,  bonier,  more  hollow-eyed, 
if  possible,  than  the  others,  but  with  a  certain  pathetic 
infantile  beauty,  that  could  not  fail  to  touch  with 
tender  compassion  every  feeling  heart. 

"Had  to  bring  the  kid,"  explained  Tony  briefly. 
"He  was  a  cryin'  awful  bad,  an'  I  hated  to  think  of 


A   CHRISTIAN   OPTIMIST.  8 1 

Sis  an'  me  gittin  plenty  an'  him  empty.  So  I  jist 
slipped  him  out  of  her  arms  while  she  was  a  sleepin'- 
drunk,  you  know,  an'  him  too — an'  I  guess  you  can 
give  him  a  bone  to  keep  him  quiet.  I  don't  take  no 
stock  in  him,  and  I  wish  he  hadn't  never  been  borned, 
I  do ;  but  I  hate  awful  to  hear  him  cryin' . ' ' 

There  were  tears  in  Gladys'  eyes  as  she  lifted  the 
baby  out  of  the  boy's  now  weary  arms. 

1  'I  will  take  him  into  the  sitting-room,  Edna,"  she 
said,  "and  feed  him,  if  you  will  heat  some  milk,  and 
bring  it  to  me  with  a  slice  of  bread.  Kudora  and  you 
can  attend  to  the  others — this  baby  shall  be  my 
charge. ' ' 

Two  plates  of  turkey  cut  into  small  pieces,  plenty 
of  mashed  potatoes,  cranberry  jelly,  bread  and  butter, 
followed  by  plum  pudding,  composed  the  main  part 
of  the  children's  dinner,  which  the  girls  had  decided 
to  give  them  before  taking  their  own,  feeling  that  the 
little  ones  would  enjoy  it  all  the  better  if  left  to  them- 
selves. They  had  also  decided  that  the  oyster  patties, 
chicken  salad,  mince  pie  and  ice-cream,  would  be 
more  than  the  little  starved  systems  could  manage,  so 
wisely  limited  the  menu. 

How  they  did  enjoy  it  all  !  Once,  in  an  enforced 
waiting  for  the  pudding,  Eudora  heard  Tony  say  to 
his  sister  in  an  undertone,  "Golly  !  don't  this  beat  all, 
Sissy!  An'  the  kid's  stopped  cryin'  too!"  It  was 
evident,  in  spite  of  the  boy's  apparently  heartless  re- 
marks, that  his  baby  brother's  welfare  was  very  near 
his  heart,  for  it  was  only  when  the  cries  from  the 
other  room  were  stilled,  that  he  displayed  unqualified 
delight  in  his  dinner.  Eudora  also  noticed  that  his 


82  A  BUSINESS  VENTURE;   OR, 

eyes  were  often  fixed  upon  the  tot  beside  him,  with 
such  a  keen  relish  of  every  mouthfnl  she  swallowed, 
that  it  was  almost  like  a  second  dinner  to  him. 

Meantime  Gladys  was  feeding  the  baby  with  the 
bread  and  milk,  rather  alarmed  at  its  capacity  for 
"more,"  and  feeling,  in  her  inexperience,  that  pos- 
sibly she  was  doing  it  serious  injury.  At  last,  how- 
ever, the  limit  was  reached,  and  the  child  turned  his 
head  aside  with  a  grunt.  Then  Gladys  gently  washed 
the  little  face  and  hands — she  had  not  ventured  to  do 
it  until  his  hunger  had  been  appeased.  She  took  a 
strange  pleasure  in  these  duties — duties  which  a 
month  ago  she  would  have  shrunk  from  ;  they  seemed 
to  soothe  the  sore  heart  which  the  ordinary  routine  of 
life  only  chafed  and  irritated.  Rocking  him  softly  for 
a  few  moments,  the  pretty  blue  eyes  drooped — more 
and  more — closed,  then  opened  again — closed  and 
opened,  as  if  loth  to  shut  out  such  unaccustomed 
comfort,  until  at  last  the  heavy  lids  could  no  longer  be 
lifted,  and  baby  slept.  Gladys  laid  him  down  on  the 
little  sofa,  and  covered  him  up  warmly.  Budora, 
looking  in  at  the  moment,  quietly  slipped  away,  feel- 
ing that  the  bitterness  accompanying  this  great  mys- 
terious sorrow,  had,  for  the  moment  at  least,  been  laid 
to  rest. 

"Do  you  know  what  day  this  is,  Tony?"  asked 
Eudora,  when  at  last  it  seemed  as  if  the  children 
could  not  manage  another  mouthful. 

*'  'Course  it's  Christmus,"  answered  Tony,  sur- 
prised at  the  question. 

'  'And  why  do  we  keep  Christmas,  do  you  know  ?' ' 

The  boy.  looked  at  her  vacantly.      "Dunno,"   he 


A   CHRISTIAN   OPTIMIST.  83 

said — then  a  bright  idea  struck  him,  and  he  added, 
" Maybe  it's  because  the  war  got  ended.  That's  what 
Jim  Stokes  said — but  I  said  I  guessed  not,  'cause  there 
ain't  no  fire-crackers  nor  nothin' — an'  if  'twas  about 
war  there' d  be  some  noise,  wouldn't  there?" 

And  then  and  there  Eudora  made  a  resolve.  * ' Tony , ' ' 
she  said,  '  'would  you  like  to  come  here  to-morrow 
afternoon,  and  bring  Sissy  and  that  other  boy  if  he 
wants  to  come,  and  I  will  tell  you  some  pretty  stories? 
To-morrow — Sunday,  you  know." 

"To-morrer,"  he  echoed.  ' 'Blamed  if  I  didn't 
think  this  was  Sunday.  I  kin  come  ef  it's  Sunday  to- 
morrer — 'cause  pap  an'  mam' 11  be  drunk  agin — they 
always  bes  on  Sundays — that's  why  I  reckoned  'twas 
to-day.  They  don't  always  let  me  go  when  they're 
straight — but  I  kin  slip  off  other  times.  We'll  come, 
sure. ' ' 

Reluctantly  Gladys  put  the  sleeping  child  into  the 
boy's  arms,  warning  him  to  carry  the  baby  carefully, 
so  as  not  to  awaken  it. 

"You  bet,"  said  Tony,  almost  staggering  beneath 
the  load,  light  as  it  really  was.  "I  don't  take  no  stock 
in  him,  but  I  hate  mortally  to  have  him  holler." 

Then  both  children  took  an  unceremonious  leave. 

"Well,"  said  Edna,  laughing,  "that  youngster  is  a 
case,  sure  enough.  But  one  cannot  help  liking  him. 
Now  for  our  own  dinner. ' ' 

Just  as  it  was  about  over,  in  walked  Mr.  Crescent, 
carrying  a  large,  flat  parcel.  After  exchanging  the 
compliments  of  the  season,  he  said,  rather  hesi- 
tatingly: 

"Young    ladies,    I    have    brought    you   something 


84  A   BUSINESS   VKNTURK  ;    OR, 

which  I  fear  may  give  you  momentary  pain,  but 
which  I  trust  may  prove  an.  ever-increasing  source  of 
pleasure.  I  borrowed  from  Miss  Gladys  one  day — as 
she  will  remember — a  photograph  of  your  honored 
father,  and  I  took  the  liberty  of  having  a  large  paint- 
ing made  from  it.  I  think — ' ' 

While  speaking,  he  had  been  unwrapping  the  par- 
cel, and  as  the  life-like  portrait  was  now  fairly  ex- 
posed to  view,  Gladys  gave  a  stifled  cry,  and  turning 
hastily  away,  left  the  room.  Poor  Mr.  Crescent  be- 
came all  manner  of  colors;  then,  taking  up  the  pic- 
ture, he  laid  it  with  its  face  to  the  wall. 

"I  am  really  much  distressed,"  he  began.  "My 
carelessness — 

But  Endora  interrupted  him,  the  tears  in  her  eyes. 

"Don't  think  so  for  one  moment,  Mr.  Crescent," 
she  said  earnestly,  laying  an  appealing  hand  upon 
his  arm.  '  'You  are  always  too  kind.  It  is  only  that 
Gladys  has  been  troubled  about  something  of  late — 
we  do  not  know  what  it  is — and  everything  seems  to 
bring  it  to  her  mind.  She  will  get  over  it — I  am  sure 
she  will — and  then  this  portrait  will  be  as  great  a 
comfort  to  her  as  it  is  now  to  Bdna  and  me.  It  is  so, 
so  like  him;  he  looks  just  as  he  did  that  last  time  I  saw 
him  on  the  steamer. ' ' 

And  Kdna,  also  moved  to  tears,  thanked  him  most 
heartily.  But  he  remained  sad  and  abstracted,  though 
evidently  making  an  effort  to  be  otherwise.  In  about 
fifteen  minutes,  Gladys  returned,  cold  and  calm  as 
ever. 

"Forgive  me,  Mr.  Crescent,"  she  said,  in  her  usual 


A   CHRISTIAN   OPTIMIST.  85 

tones, ' '  and  believe  me  I  am  most  grateful  for  your 
kindness.  I  shall  not  be  so  foolish  again. ' ' 

Mr.  Crescent  brightened  up  at  once,  and  a  pleasant 
hour  followed. 

"Now,  Miss  Edna,"  he  said,  handing  her  a  square 
white  paper  parcel,  *  'here  is  something  for  your  special 
benefit.  Being  the  'baby,'  this  is  your  rightful  pos- 
session." 

Edna  laughingly  opened  it,  and  such  a  tempting  ar- 
ray of  French  bonbons  of  all  shapes  and  colors  met  her 
eye! 

"O  thank  you,"  she  exclaimed.  "This  is  lovely! 
and  just  what  we  needed  to  complete  our  Christmas 
festivities!  I  never  used  to  feel  as  if  it  were  really 
Christmas,  unless  I  had  a  big  box  of  chocolates.  You 
must  help  us  eat  them. ' ' 

By  and  bye,  the  Warringsford  children  came  in 
again.  Eudora  and  Gabrielle  had  become  firm  friends, 
even  in  this  brief  period,  while  L,ogan  was  Edna's 
devoted  admirer. 

"Grandma  says,  won't  you  come  over  and  see  our 
Christmas  tree,"  said  Gabrielle,  "since  you  wouldn't 
come  last  night,  when  all  the  people  were  there?  It 
isn't  quite  so  nice  as  it  was  last  night,  but  there  are 
lots  of  pretty  things  on  it  still.  Please  make  them 
come,  Mr.  Crescent." 

"Indeed,  I  don't  think  we  need  any  persuasion, 
Gabrielle,"  said  Eudora.  "Do  we  girls?  Only"  — 
and  she  hesitated  as  she  glanced  at  Mr.  Crescent. 

"O,  I  shall  certainly  accompany  you,  Miss  Eudora, 
if  I  may  be  allowed  the  pleasure.  I  have  already 
seen  the  tree,  but  shall  be  delighted  to  make  a  more 


86  A   BUSINESS   VENTURE;    OR, 

thorough  examination.  Young  ladies,  I  am  at  your 
disposal. ' ' 

Gabrielle  and  Logan  jumped  about  with  delight, 
and  the  girls  went  to  put  on  their  hats.  Then  all 
proceeded  to  the  other  house,  where  they  were  warmly 
welcomed  by  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Warringsford,  while  Mr. 
Ernest  passed  the  compliments  of  the  season  with  his 
usual  grave  politeness.  After  a  short  conversation, 
they  were  ushered  into  the  back  drawing-room,  where 
the  tall,  stately  tree  had  been  relighted  for  their 
benefit. 

Many  beautiful  articles  still  hung  from  its  branches. 
The  decorations  were  numerous  and  costly,  including 
French  confections  of  various  kinds.  When  all  had 
been  duly  admired  and  exclaimed  over,  Mr.  Warrings- 
ford said,  laughingly:  "It  seems  to  me  there  are 
names  on  some  of  those  articles.  Suppose  we  investi- 
gate." 

Holding  up  a  pretty  little  white  box,  he  read  the 
label,  "Miss  Edna,  from  Logan,"  and  cutting  it  off, 
he  presented  it  to  her.  Then  he  detached  a  similar 
one  for  Eudora,  from  Gabrielle;  and  still  another  for 
Gladys,  from  nobody  in  particular,  it  appeared.  This 
last  box  contained  an  exquisite  mourning  pin,  set  with 
tiny  pearls — the  very  thing  that  suited  Gladys'  fastid- 
ious taste,  and  for  which  she  had  especially  wished,  in 
order  to  complete  her  dress.  Not  knowing  whom  to 
thank,  she  gave  general  thanks,  no  one  in  especial  ap- 
pearing to  receive  them. 

Eudora 's  and  Edna's  presents  were  also  pins — much 
simpler,  of  delicate  Mexican  filigree  silver  work — very 
dainty  and  pretty.  Then  each  had  a  handsome  box 


A   CHRISTIAN   OPTIMIST.  87 

of  chocolates,  and  fancy  bonbons  of  various  descrip- 
tions. 

'  'Well,  we  are  laden !' '  exclaimed  Edna.  Thank  you 
all,  so  much."  And  of  course  Gladys  and  Kudora 
joined  in  the  thanks. 

Then  they  were  invited  into  the  dining-room,  where 
oyster  soup,  lobster  salad,  ices  and  other  delicacies 
were  served  This  was  a  complete  surprise,  as  Ga- 
brielle,  in  her  invitation,  had  said  nothing  of  a  supper. 

"I  was  just  determined,"  said  Mrs.  Warringsford, 
"that  you  should  have  at  least  one  meal  with  us  on 
Christmas  day.  I  quite  understand  your  not  wishing 
to  come  to  dinner,  as  we  had  company  then;  but  I 
knew  there  was  no  reason  for  your  not  joining  us  to- 
night. So  forgive  my  little  surprise  party,  will  you 
not,  my  dear  girls?" 

It  was  impossible  not  to  enjoy  such  genial  hospi- 
tality. Kven  Gladys  cast  all  gloom  aside,  and  exerted 
herself  to  be  as  agreeable  as  she  well  knew  how  to  be. 
Kdna  watched  Kudora  now  and  then  while  the  latter 
was  conversing  with  Mr.  Krnest,  anxious  to  know  her 
impression  of  him,  and  whether  her  sister  admired 
him  as  she  did  herself.  Kudora  had  met  him  several 
times,  but  they  never  had  held  any  special  conversa- 
tion. This  was  therefore  the  first  time  that  she  felt 
at  all  acquainted  with  him. 

Gabrielle  hung  about  her  father,  listening  quietly  to 
th*e  conversation,  with  the  interest  of  an  intelligent, 
well-bred  child. 

At  ten  o'clock,  Mr.  Crescent  escorted  Gladys  and 
Kdna  home;  Gabrielle  delighted  that  for  once  she  was 
awake  when  Kudora  was  there,  and  enjoying  the 


88  A   BUSINESS   VENTURE;    OR, 

prospect  of  a  little  chat  while  both  were  preparing  for 
bed.  Scarcely,  however,  had  the  child's  head  touched 
the  pillow,  when,  tired  out  with  the  unusual  excite- 
ment and  late  hour,  she  had  fallen  asleep.  Then 
Eudora  was  left  free  to  pursue  the  meditation  to  which 
to-night  she  felt  more  than  usually  inclined. 

It  had  been,  on  the  whole,  a  happy  Christmas-day. 
To  be  sure,  the  cloud  of  Gladys'  mysterious  sorrow 
still  rested  upon  them,  but  faith  rested  in  the  assurance 
of  the  "all  things"  working  for  good,  and  saw  the  sun 
shining  beyond.  And  for  herself?  Had  ever  such 
a  Christmas  dawned  before?  A  few  days  previously 
she  had  somewhere  noticed  a  little  poem  of  which  one 
of  the  verses  ran: 

"  O  day  of  time,  how  dark!     O  sky  and  earth, 

How  dull  your  hue! 

O  day  of  Christ,  how  bright!     O  sky  and  earth, 
Made  fair  and  new!" 

It  was  all  true,  indeed,  but  not  in  the  sense  the  poet 
had  in  view.  Formerly,  her  life  might  have  been  de- 
scribed as  a  "day  of  time" — a  day  of  earth,  liable  to 
storms,  darkness  and  clouds,  tossed  about  with  every 
wind  that  blew,  nothing  dependable,  nothing  anchored, 
nothing  fixed.  True,  she  had  long  ago  accepted  the 
Lord  to  be  her  Savior,  her  Master,  her  King.  She  had 
prayed  to  Him  daily,  and  in  some  vague  manner  had 
believed  that,  away  up  in  His  far-off  Heaven,  He  heard 
her  prayers;  that,  in  some  vague  way  or  other,  she 
was  helped  and  perhaps  kept  from  special  harm — in 
fact,  she  would  have  been  afraid  not  to  pray.  But  it 
was  as  a  duty  that  could  not  safely  be  left  undone;  a 
part  and  parcel  of  the  Christian  vows  she  had  assumed, 


A   CHRISTIAN   OPTIMIST.  89 

a  cold,  perfunctory,  lifeless,  though,  as  far  as  her  light 
went,  faithful  performance  of  the  promises  she  had 
made  to  her  God  and  herself — all  was  vague,  unsatis- 
factory, uncertain. 

Now,  it  was  the  "day  of  Christ."  Through  His 
Holy  Spirit,  He  had  Himself  come  to  dwell  within 
her  heart — to  be  her  constant  Companion,  her  Guide, 
her  Counselor,  her  close  familiar  Friend.  Now,  He 
was  so  near  that  a  whisper  reached  His  ever-listening 
ear — consciously  reached  it,  so  that  she  watched  for  the 
answer,  which  never  failed  to  come.  And  as  each  an- 
swer came,  Faith  took  an  ever  higher,  ever  bolder 
stand,  and  what  would  once  have  been  regarded 
as  the  boldest  presumption,  had  now  become  the  daily 
'attitude  of  her  watching  heart. 

"O  day  of  Christ,  how  bright!"  she  joyfully  whis- 
pered; then,  singing  her  nightly  song,  she  fell  asleep. 


90  A   BUSINKSS  VKNTURE;    OR, 


CHAPTER  X. 

Sunday  afternoon  came,  and  Eudora  was  all  ready 
for  her  class.  Gabrielle,  to  whom  she  had  confided 
her  plan,  and  who  had  eagerly  entered  into  it,  had 
found  a  long,  low  bench  stored  away  in  the  barn,  and 
had  had  it  carried  into  the  little  kitchen,  where  it  just 
filled  one  side  of  the  board  wall.  She  had  also  brought 
over  a  small  basket  filled  with  animal  crackers — ''for 
maybe,  Miss  Eudora,  they  will  like  better  to  come  if 
they  get  something  to  eat.  You  know  you  said  I 
could  be  your  assistant  if  the  class  should  grow  large; 
and  grandma  said  this  might  be  my  part  of  the  busi- 
ness." 

The  two  were  fast  becoming  firm  friends,  and  Mrs. 
Warringsford  had  every  day  reason  to  rejoice  that  it 
was  so,  as  Eudora' s  influence  told  more  and  more  upon 
the  little  girl's  impressionable  nature. 

About  two  o'clock,  exactly  one  hour  before  the  time 
fixed,  a  knock  came  to  the  back  door,  and  without 
waiting  for  an  invitation,  three  children  pushed  their 
way  in.  Tony  leading,  as  one  who  had  the  right  of 
way,  his  little  sister,  'Meely — Amelia — closely  follow- 
ing, while  bringing  up  the  rear,  in  a  hesitating,  shame- 
faced manner,  came  a  tangle-haired,  dilapidated-look- 
ing twelve-year  old  boy — "just  to  please  the  little 
chap,"  he  explained,  when  Eudora  spoke  to  him, 
'"cause  he  wanted  me  so  bad  to  come;  but  'taint  going 
to  do  no  good. ' ' 

Tony's   eyes  flashed  defiance,    and    his  fist   would 


A   CHRISTIAN   OPTIMIST.  9! 

doubtless  have  been  raised  in  challenge  of  this  bold 
denial  of  his  teacher's  ability,  only — his  arms  were 
again  full,  though  this  time  the  baby  was  sound 
asleep. 

"She's  drunk  agin,  bein'  Sunday,"  he  announced, 
"an'  I  knowed  the  young  'un  would  holler  when  he 
wokened  up,  so  I  fetched  him  along.  I  don't  take  no 
stock  in  him,  an'  I  wisht  he'd  never  been  borned,  but 
I  do  mortal  hate  to  hear  him  yell. ' ' 

With  which  logical  explanation,  he  was  about  to  lay 
the  child  on  the  bare  floor  in  the  corner,  when  Gladys, 
who  had  entered  at  that  moment  for  a  glass  of  water, 
took  him  out  of  the  boy's  arms,  and,  carrying  him  to 
the  sitting-room,  laid  him  gently  down  upon  the  sofa. 
Then  she  prepared  some  bread  and  milk  to  have  ready 
for  his  waking. 

Eudora's  first  experience  at  teaching,  a  mission 
class — as  this  might  be  called — was  something  to  be 
remembered.  Such  dense  ignorance  as  to  religious 
truths  she  had  never  even  imagined,  and  it  seemed  to 
her  at  the  end  of  the  hour  that  she  had  not  made 
the  faintest  impression,  except  in  the  way  of  surprise. 
But  the  ground  had  to  be  broken  up  before  the  seed 
could  be  sown  ;  that  this  was  being  done  might  pos- 
sibly have  been  inferred  from  the  remarks  of  the  big 
boy  to  Tony,  just  after  leaving:  "Wall,  I  never 
heard  the  likes  afore!  I  feel  as  ef  I  was  standin'  on 
me  head  instead  of  me  feet.  I  dunno  what's  it  all 
about!" 

"I  told  you  so,  Jim! "  returned  Tony,  triumphantly. 
"I  knowed  she'd  puzzle  you  out  an'  out.  /dunno 
neither!  She's  awful  smart,  she  is." 


92  A   BUSINESS   VENTURE   OR, 

Nevertheless,  both  boys,  for  the  rest  of  the  day,  re- 
frained from  using  many  bad  words  which  had  become 
to  them  as  their  native  language,  with  an  instinctive 
feeling  that  their  teacher  would  not  like  it,  although 
neither  could  have  given  any  reason  for  his  action. 
And  Kudora!  Two  years  ago,  she  would  have  con- 
sidered her  attempt  as  a  total  failure,  and  would  have 
been  tempted  to  give  up  in  despair.  Now  she  thanked 
God  that  she  had  been  permitted  to  teach  even  the 
least  of  His  little  ones;  and  feeling  that  she  had  faith- 
fully striven  to  do  her  best,  she  gave  over  the  re- 
sponsibility for  results  into  the  hands  of  Him  who  had 
undertaken  that  part  of  the  contract,  assured  that 
there  could  be  no  failure  there.  It  is  the  endeavor  to 
take  both  God's  part  and  theirs  upon  their  own  weak 
shoulders  that  breaks  down  prematurely  so  many 
earnest  workers,  and  often  lays  them  in  their  graves 
before  their  day  is  fully  ended. 

One  month  had  passed  since  the  girls'  new  life  had 
begun;  and  aided  by  their  friend  and  business  director, 
Mr.  Crescent,  they  took  a  financial  view  of  the  situa- 
tion. The  summing-up  at  first  sight  was  satisfactory. 
They  had  made  their  living,  rent  included,  had 
covered  the  interest  from  their  investment,  and  had 
even  laid  in  a  small  supply  of  a  few  things  lacking; 
but — that  was  all.  And  then,  as  Mr.  Crescent  re- 
luctantly reminded  them,  this  having  been  Christmas 
month,  their  sales  were  nearly  the  double  of  what  they 
must  ordinarily  expect.  They  would  also  need  to  lay 
in  a  fresh  supply  of  many  small  articles,  which,  when 
they  bought  the  stock,  had  been  practically  thrown 
into  the  bargain.  Besides,  no  allowance  had  been 


A   CHRISTIAN  OPTIMIST.  93 

made  for  clothes,  which,  sooner  or  later,  must  wear 
out — nor  for  possible  repairs,  nor  for  unforeseen  cir- 
cumstances of  any  kind.  After  all,  it  was  not  entirely 
satisfactory,  at  least  to  the  far-seeing  eyes  of  their 
friend,  and  he  looked  somewhat  grave  at  the  close  of 
their  investigations. 

"You  have  done  very  well  indeed,  young  ladies," 
he  said,  assuming  a  cheerful  tone,  "and  have  managed 
your  finances  remarkably  well  for  such  novices  in 
housekeeping  and  storekeeping,  and  in  the  art  of  not 
spending  money.  But  still,  while  there  is  no  de- 
ficiency this  month — you  have  even  a  small  balance  in 
the  treasury — still,  we  can  hardly  expect  the  same 
amount  sold  during  the  coming  months,  and  we  must 
consider  some  way  of  adding  to  the  income. ' ' 

"I  have  been  thinking  for  some  time  past,"  said 
Eudora,  "that  three  of  us  were  too  many  to  manage 
this  one  little  house  and  store.  But  I  wanted  to  see 
Gladys  and  Edna  well  started  before  I  turned  my  at- 
tention elsewhere." 

Gladys  gave  a  startled  look,  and  Edna  exclaimed 
'  'why  Eudora,  your  education  has  not  been  one  particle 
more  practical  than  Gladys'  or  mine,  and  I  don't  see 
what  you  could  do!" 

"O,  yes,"  said  Gladys,  smiling,  "Eudora  had  one 
practical  accomplishment  beyond  what  you  or  I  could 
boast  of.  Don' t  you  remember,  when  Mademoiselle  used 
to  hunt  up  our  old  clothes  to  give  us  to  take  to  those 
poor  families,  Eudora,  how  beautifully  you  patched 
and  mended  them  so  that  we  said  they  looked  almost 
as  good  as  new?  Unfortunately,  however,  that  ac- 
complishment is  not  likely  to  be  of  any  service  to 


94  A   BUSINESS  VENTURE  ;   OR, 

us — at  least,  not  in  the  present  whole  condition  of  our 
wardrobes!" 

"Is  it  not?"  said  Eudora,  quietly.  "That  is  pre- 
cisely the  accomplishment  with  which  I  propose  to  eke 
out  our  slender  finances. ' ' 

"Not  really!"  exclaimed  Kdna.  Gladys  was  silent, 
and  Mr.  Crescent  gave  Eudora  a  half  inquiring,  half 
amused  look. 

"Yes,  really,  Edna.  I  have  been  considering  for 
some  time  past  what  I  could  do,  but  nothing  seemed 
to  suggest  itself.  The  other  evening,  Mrs.  Warrings- 
ford  was  looking  over  the  children's  clothes,  as  they 
had  come  from  the  laundry,  and  she  showed  me  a 
large  tear  on  one  of  Logan's  new  white  suits,  and 
various  rents  in  both  the  children's  clothes.  She  re- 
marked that  Mary,  the  nurse,  ought  to  be  able  to  keep 
them  in  order,  but  that  she  was  not  gifted  in  that  re- 
spect, and  she  was  such  a  faithful,  devoted  woman, 
that  it  did  not  seem  desirable  to  make  a  change.  'If  I 
could  only  find  some  one,'  she  said,  'to  come  once  a 
week,  to  look  over  the  clean  clothes,  and  do  whatever 
mending  should  be  needed  for  the  household  in  gen- 
eral, but  especially  for  the  children!'  Then  my  former 
talents  in  that  line  rushed  into  my  head,  and  at  once 
I  asked  Mrs.  Warringsford  to  let  me  try  if  I  could  not 
manage  to  suit  her.  She  was  somewhat  surprised,  I 
suppose,  but  the  end  of  the  matter  is,  that  I  am  to 
spend  every  Friday  there,  overhauling  the  family 
wardrobe  ;  and  Mrs.  Warringsford  has  undertaken  to 
procure  me  a  similar  position  in  several  of  her  friends' 
families. ' ' 


A   CHRISTIAN   OPTIMIST.  95 

"Eudora!"  exclaimed  Kdna,  in  a  half  comic,  half 
earnest  manner,  '  'what  are  you  bringing  us  to  ? 

"To  comfort  and  prosperity,  I  hope,  dear,"  replied 
Eudora,  playfully;  but  she  looked  somewhat  anxiously 
at  Gladys.  To  the  surprise  of  all  their  aristocratic 
sister  made  no  demur.  If  anything  more  than  another 
could  have  marked  the  change  in  Gladys,  it  was  this. 
Kduora  and  Edna  would  have  preferred  having  her 
exclaim  and  protest  as  of  old,  rather  than  to  see  the 
cold  indifference  with  which  she  received  the  intelli- 
gence. 

"I  cannot  see  why  Eudora  should  not  do  as  she 
pleases,"  she  said  calmly  "Why  should  sewing  be 
any  worse  than  keeping  store  ?  We  have  to  live,  and  I 
don't  think  anything  matters  much." 

Mr.  Crescent  gave  her  a  scrutinizing,  puzzled  look, 
then  said,  in  an  uncertain  way,  "I  am  sure,  Miss 
Eudora,  your  resolution  is  most  laudable.  I  ex- 
tremely regret  there  being  any  necessity  for  such  a 
step,  but — well,  since  it  must  be  taken,  you  could 
have  no  better  starting-place  for  your  undertaking, 
than  in  the  home  of  our  mutual  friend,  Mrs.  Warrings- 
ford." 

"I  am  sure  of  that,  Mr.  Crescent,"  said  Eudora. 
"She  is  indeed  a  friend,  and  I  am  very  grateful  to 
her  for  her  kindness  to  all  of  us.  I  have  very  little 
doubt  as  to  the  success  of  my  undertaking,  for,  as  the 
girls  say,  I  have  really  a  gift  in  that  line,  and  I  am 
truly  thankful  for  the  opportunity  of  putting  it  in 
practice. ' ' 

"Well,"  said  Gladys,  slowly,  "I  also  have  had  an 
offer" — Mr.  Crescent  started,  and  looked  at  her 


96  A  BUSINESS  VENTURE;   OR, 

anxiously.  "Mrs.  Warringsford  has  asked  me  to 
teach  lyOgan  for  a  couple  of  hours  every  day.  I  told 
her  I  did  not  think  he  would  learn  anything,  but  she 
insists  on  my  at  least  making  the  attempt,  and  if  I  am 
successful  she  will  procure  me  some  other  children  of 
the  same  age  in  the  neighborhood." 

"Very  good  indeed,"  said  Mr.  Crescent,  gleefully. 
"That  is  the  very  thing,  Miss  Gladys  !  I  am  quite 
sure  you  will  succeed.  This  is  very  good  news  in- 
deed!" 

"Yes,  I  think  it  will  just  suit  you,"  said  Kudora, 
privately  delighted  at  the  prospect  of  there  being  any- 
thing to  divert  Gladys'  mind  from  her  haunting  grief. 
"You  were  always  the  most  patient  of  us  three. 
Mademoiselle  used  to  say,  when  we  would  become 
discouraged  at  some  specially  knotty  lesson,  'look  at 
your  sister,  Miss  Gladys,  she  is  the  perseverance  and 
patience  itself.'  ' 

'  'And  sarcastic, ' '  interrupted  Gladys.  '  'You  forget 
the  many  times  she  would  say,  'do  not  be  so  sarcastic, 
Miss  Gladys.  Sarcasm  is  not  becoming  to  a  lady. '  ' ' 

"O  well,"  said  Eudora,  "that  is  a  thing  of  the  past  ; 
and  I  am  convinced,  with  Mr.  Orescent,  that  you  will 
succeed  admirably  with  young  children." 

"So  am  I,"  said  Edna.  "Why,  girls,  our  fortunes 
are  looking  up — we  are  in  the  fair  way  of  becoming 
millionaires  !  So  the  store  will  be  left  mainly  in  my 
hands,  and  I  mean  to -set  my  wits  to  work  to  make  it 
a  roaring  success. ' ' 

Edna  hoped  that  Gladys  would  correct  her  unlady- 
like expression,  as  of  old,  but  she  was  disappointed. 


A   CHRISTIAN   OPTIMIST.  97 

It  was  evident  that  Gladys  did  not  care  enough  for 
anything,  even  to  find  fault. 

"When  do  your  new  duties  commence,  Miss 
Gladys?"  asked  Mr.  Crescent. 

,    "On  Monday  next.     This  is  Wednesday,  and  I  did 
not  care  to  begin  in  the  middle  of  the  week." 

After  a  little  more  conversation,  Mr.  Crescent  took 
his  leave.  Then  Edna  said,  "Really,  Kudora,  I  did 
not  want  to  say  much  before  Mr.  Crescent,  but  I  do 
seriously  wish  you  had  not  undertaken  the  position  of 
mender  of  old  clothes.  It  does  seem  an  unnecessary 
lowering  of  the  family. ' ' 

"My  dear  little  sister,"  said  Eudora,  pleasantly, 
"you  are  not  regarding  it  in  the  right  light.  In  the 
first  place,  this  is  an  age  when  a  woman  can  engage 
in  almost  any  kind  of  honest  work,  and  yet  hold  her 
own  with  sensible  people.  The  fact  of  a  man  having 
been  at  any  time  in  his  life  at  the  very  foot  of  the 
social  ladder  is  no  drawback  to  him,  and  it  is  rapidly 
becoming  the  case  with  women.  Of  course,  it  is  not 
precisely  what  I  would  have  chosen  for  myself.  But 
for  some  time  past  I  had  foreseen  that  this  little  store 
would  not  maintain  us  all,  and  had  been  praying  for 
some  way  to  open  by  which  I  could  add  to  our  income. 
So  I  knew  the  way  would  open,  and  was  watching  my 
opportunity.  When  it  came  I  recognized  it  as  the 
answer  to  my  prayer,  and  felt  as  sure  that  it  was 
God-sent  as  I  am  sure  of  anything.  Therefore,  dear, 
I  did  not  dare  to  refuse  it ;  and  if  I  do  this  humble 
work  well  and  faithfully,  doubtless  He  will,  in  his  own 
good  time,  give  me  something  better." 

On  Friday  morning  Eudora  began  her  new  duties. 


98  A   BUSINESS   VENTURE;   OR, 

Mrs.  Warringsford  informed  her  that  she  had  pro- 
cured her  a  similar  position  in  three  families  among 
her  acquaintances.  Then  she  hesitated  a  little,  and 
finally  said:  "You  must  try  not  to  mind,  my  dear,  if 
among  these  people  you  find  some  snobbish  enough  to 
treat  you  coldly  on  account  of  your  work.  This  is 
inevitable  among  those  to  whom  money  is  the  chief 
good  in  life,  and  who  have  not  refinement  and  cultiva- 
tion enough  in  themselves  to  be  capable  of  recognizing 
them  in  others." 

"I  am  quite  well  aware  of  this,  Mrs.  Warringsford, 
but  I  have  counted  the  cost,  and  I  don't  think  I  shall 
mind  it  much.  I  can  at  least  try  it,  and  if  I  do  my 
work  well,  I  hardly  think  the  rest  will  matter  much." 

But  Kudora  fared  better  than  Mrs.  Warringsford 
feared.  Her  dignity  compelled  respect,  and  her  sweet 
face  and  manners,  together  with  her  aristocratic  de- 
meanor, commanded  admiration  everywhere.  Even 
those  who  began  otherwise  gradually  fell  into  the  way 
of  treating  her  as  an  equal,  following  the  lead  of  Mrs. 
Warringsford,  who  constantly  spoke  of  her  as  her 
friend,  and  who  took  her  out  driving  or  walking  with 
herself  whenever  opportunity  offered,  or  Kudora 
could  be  induced  to  go.  Besides,  the  spirit  of  the  age 
was  working,  though  slowly,  and  a  self-supporting 
woman  who  did  her  duty  and  maintained  her  dignity 
could  never  now  be  looked  down  upon  as  formerly, 
unless  by  the  wholly  ignorant. 

A  week  passed,  and  Gladys  was  becoming  much 
interested  in  her  new  employment.  I^ogan  was  an 
ordinarily  bright  boy,  full  of  life  and  spirits,  but 
under  perfect  control,  so  that  Gladys  found  no  dim- 


A   CHRISTIAN   OPTIMIST.  99 

culty  in  his  management.  He  had  not  even  learned 
his  alphabet  thoroughly,  but  Gladys,  following  the 
method  by  which  she  had  herself  been  taught,  plunged 
him  at  once  into  easy  reading,  surprising  both  him  and 
herself  by  the  speedy  results.  After  awhile,  to  be 
sure,  when  lessons  ceased  to  be  a  novelty,  progress 
seemed  slower  and  more  tedious;  still  it  was  progress, 
and,  so  far,  satisfactory.  Before  long,  three  more 
boys  were  added  to  the  class;  and,  on  the  whole, 
Gladys  enjoyed  teaching  them — as  much,  at  least,  as 
was  possible  in  her  present  frame  of  mind. 

Edna  was  delighted  to  have  the  store  so  completely 
in  her  own  hands.  She  learned  to  make  many  little 
fancy  articles  attractive  to  children;  while  Gladys,  in 
her  leisure  hours,  painted  California  scenes  upon  slabs 
of  orange  or  other  native  woods,  which,  if  there  were 
at  present  no  sale  for  them,  could  be  laid  aside  for  the 
following  Christmas.  But  occasionally  a  transient 
visitor  would  make  a  purchase.  This  was  almost 
clear  gain,  as  well  as  the  other  fancy  articles  of  their 
own  make. 


TOO  A  BUSINESS  VENTURE;    OR, 


CHAPTER  XI. 

Shortly  after  Kudora's  arrival  from  Europe,  Edna, 
with  her  usual  keen-sightedness,  had  noticed  that  her 
sister  watched  closely  the  hour  for  the  postman,  as  if 
she  were  specially  expecting  letters.  Often  one  would 
come  from  Aunt  Julia,  but  the  very  next  day  Eudora 
would  watch  just  the  same,  and  Edna  came  to  the 
conclusion  that  a  letter  was  looked  for,  which  so  far 
had  failed  to  materialize.  One  day,  shortly  after  the 
girls  had  entered  upon  their  new  duties,  a  long  letter 
from  Aunt  Julia  arrived.  It  was  addressed  to  Eudora, 
who,  being  at  the  moment  engaged  in  sewing,  handed 
it  to  Gladys,  with  the  request  that  she  would  read  it 
aloud.  It  was  late  afternoon,  and  the  three  girls  were 
together  in  their  sitting-room,  with  the  door  open  be- 
tween it  and  the  store,  so  that  Edna  could  be  on  the 
watch  for  customers.  Aunt  Julia  told  about  her  hus- 
band's health  being  improved,  the  children  well,  and 
business  matters  more  satisfactory.  After  some  further 
general  news,  the  writer  proceeded:  "By  the  bye,  Eu- 
dora, I  have  something  to  tell  you  about  your  special 
friend,  Mr.  Archeret."  Edna,  happening  just  then  to 
look  at  Eudora,  saw  her  color  change,  and  thought 
her  hands  trembled,  but  of  this  last  she  was  not  quite 
sure.  '  'At  least,  I  supposed  him  to  be  a  special  friend, 
though  I  did  not  say  any  thing  to  you  about  it — in- 
deed, at  one  time,  your  uncle  and  I  really  thought  you 
were  both  drifting  into  something  warmer  than  friend- 
ship. How  glad  I  am  we  were  mistaken,  and  that, 


A   CHRISTIAN   OPTIMIST.  IOI 

after  all,  there  was  nothing  in  it.  Not  two  weeks 
after  you  left,  the  gentleman  began  paying  attention 
to  a  very  wealthy  German  widow,  and  last  week  he 
married  her — the  general  verdict  being  that  he  mar- 
ried her  fortune,  not  herself." 

"Why,  Kudora! "  exclaimed  Gladys;  "you  never 
told  us  any  thing  about  this  gentleman." 

In  some  things,  Gladys  was  not  so  quick  in  ob- 
servation as  Edna,  and  even  now  did  not  remark  the 
deep  flush  overspreading  Eudora 's  countenance — 
shortly  receding,  and  leaving  her  of  marble  pallor. 

"As  you  see,"  she  said,  slowly,  "there  was  nothing 
to  tell." 

But  her  voice  sounded  strangely  even  to  Gladys, 
who  looked  up  quickly;  then,  as  Eudora  went  calmly 
on  with  her  sewing,  forgot  about  it  the  next  instant, 
and  went  on  reading  aloud  the  letter.  The  moment 
it  was  ended,  Edna  escaped  into  the  kitchen,  without 
again  looking  at  Eudora.  There  she  clenched  her 
fists,  and  hit  at  an  imaginary  foe. 

"The  wretch!"  she  said  to  herself.  "To  think  of 
any  one  slighting  our  beautiful,  darling  sister!  The 
mercenary,  cold-hearted  villain!  Of  course,  he  heard 
about  father's  failure;  and  her  leaving  so  suddenly 
gave  him  a  chance  to  slip  out  of  the  affair  before  he 
had  fairly  committed  himself.  Because,  if  they  had 
been  engaged,  she  would  of  cour.se  have  told  Aunt 
Julia — and  us,  too!  And  that  poor  dear!  Expecting 
every  day  a  letter  from  him,  and  being  disappointed! 
It's  a  good  thing  she  found  it  out  in  time,  though! 
But  here  she  is — broken-hearted — and  Gladys  just  as 
bad  from  some  other  cause!  And,  whatever  I'm  to  do 


102  A   BUSINESS   VENTURE};    OR, 

with  the  two  of  them,  I  am  sure  I  don't  know!  Eu- 
dora  won't  sing  her  little  song  to-night — poor,  dear, 
beautiful  darling." 

Then  she  hit  out  right  and  left,  harder  than  ever, 
with  some  vague  wish  that  the  head  of  her  victim 
were  somewhere  within  reach;  thereby  exhibiting  a 
decided  lack  of  a  meek  and  lowly  spirit! 

'  'What  in  the  world  are  you  about,  Edna?  "  exclaimed 
Gladys,  coming  suddenly  in  upon  her.  "Are  you 
crazy,  or  what  is  the  matter?" 

"Only  a  little  ebullition  of  feeling,"  replied  Kdna, 
calming  down  at  once.  She  had  no  intention  of  be- 
traying Eudora,  knowing  instinctively  that  the  trouble 
would  be  harder  to  bear  if  suspected  by  her  sister, 
and  that  pity  at  such  a  moment  would  be  well-nigh 
unbearable.  Edna  was  brusque  and  outspoken,  often 
speaking  indiscreetly  in  her  thoughtless  haste,  but  in 
certain  matters  she  had  more  delicacy  of  perception 
than  even  Gladys. 

'  'And  may  I  ask  what  brought  about  this  ebulli- 
tion?" inquired  her  sister. 

"Yes,  you  may  ask,  if  you  think  it  worth  while," 
replied  Edna,  saucily,  "but  you  won't  get  any  an- 
swer." 

And  there  the  matter  dropped,  for  Gladys,  with  her 
usual  indifference,  thought  nothing  more  about  it. 

And  did  Eudora  sing  her  little  song  that  night? 
She  did  indeed.  But,  let  it  be  confessed,  the  tears 
were  falling  fast  as  she  said  it,  and  though  she  knew 
in  her  heart  that  goodness  and  mercy  had  followed 
her  all  this  day,  even  to  its  sad  conclusion,  yet  the 
cloudy  side  of  the  pillar  had  its  face  turned  towards 


A   CHRISTIAN  OPTIMIST.  103 

her,  and  she  could  not  yet  see  through  the  gloom  to 
the  glory  on  the  other  side.  She  remembered  once 
during  her  sojourn  with  those  Christian  friends  to 
whom  she  owed  so  much,  their  giving  counsel  to  one 
who  came  to  them  in  great  distress  of  mind.  '  'You 
say  that  the  gladness  of  earth  has  gone  from  you 
forever.  Well,  now,  begin  and  say  to  yourself — pa- 
tiently, persistently,  whenever  the  thought  comes  by 
night  or  by  day — 'I  am  glad  in  the  L,ord,  I  am  glad 
in  the  Ix>rd.'"  "But  I  am  not  glad  in  anything  or 
in  anyway,"  the  person  replied,  "and  it  seems  a  cruel 
mockery  to  say  it."  "This  sorrow  has  not  changed 
your  relations  to  your  L,ord,"  they  said.  "In  your  in- 
nermost being,  you  do  still  rejoice  in  Him,  although 
this  present  cloud  of  sorrow  is  so  dense  that  it  covers 
all  the  sunshine  of  your  sky.  And  yet  the  sunshine 
is  really  there;  you  are  only  declaring  what  you  know 
to  be  true,  though  you  do  not  now  feel  it." 

And  Budora  remembered  hearing  them  say  how  that, 
two  or  three  weeks  after,  the  person  came  to  them 
with  a  radiant  face,  which  alone  told  the  story.  "For 
long  days  together  I  went  about,  with  a  heart  like 
lead;  and  I  said  the  words,  with  a  lump  in  my  throat, 
and  with  fast-falling  tears — said  them  night  and 
day — patiently,  persistently,  despairingly.  Suddenly, 
one  day,  the  light  streamed  through,  the  burden  rolled 
away,  and  the  very  peace  of  God  has  come  into  my 
heart  to  abide  there,  I  verily  believe,  forever." 

Then  Eudora  remembered  what  she  herself  had  said 
to  Edna  only  a  few  days  previously,  when  the  latter 
had  been  in  somewhat  of  a  complaining,  grumbling 
mood.  "Begin  by  giving  thanks  for  everything,  little 


104  A   BUSINESS  VKNTURK;    OR, 

sister,  and  you  will  soon  find  everything  to  give  thanks 
for." 

Was  there  no  matter  of  thanksgiving  here?  Yes, 
even  to  human  vision.  Nothing  had  definitely  passed 
between  them — how  much  harder  then  would  the  trial 
have  been  !  How  good  that  she  had  been  saved  from 
the  fate  of  having  actually  joined  her  life  to  one  whom, 
all  too  late,  she  would  have  found  unworthy  !  And 
so  she  then  and  there  began  to  thank  her  Lord ;  and 
with  thanksgiving  on  her  lips  she  fell  asleep.  The 
morning  light  indeed  dawned  coldly  and  drearily  for 
her  waking ;  the  spring  of  hope  that  had  hitherto 
made  duty  wear  the  guise  of  pleasure  had  broken,  and 
her  walk  was  now  on  stony  ground  ;  but  her  feet  were 
shod  with  the  preparation  of  the  gospel  of  peace,  and 
no  unnecessary  hurt  would  be  hers.  Calm  was  her 
countenance  when  she  joined  her  sisters,  but  Edna 
noticed  that  its  radiance  had  departed  and  that  her 
steps  were  slow  and  weary.  Gladys'  mood  was  now 
so  habitually  a  dreamy  one  that  she  seldom  noticed 
anything,  yet  for  a  moment  at  the  breakfast  table 
Kudora's  lack  of  animation  seemed  to  strike  her,  and 
she  asked  her  if  she  felt  well.  "Quite  well,  thank 
you,"  was  the  reply,  and  Gladys  was  satisfied.  Not 
so  Edna.  Far  rather  would  she  have  seen  her  sister 
with  tearful  eyes  and  outspoken  grief  than  with  that 
calm,  pale  quiet — so  white,  so  still. 

"No,  she  did  not  sing  her  little  song  last  night," 
she  decided.  "She  could  not,  if  she  feels  like  that." 

Suddenly  Eudora  looked  up,  and  catching  Edna's 
eyes  fixed  upon  her  with  a  peculiar  expression,  she 
felt,  with  a  pang,  that  her  secret  was  at  least  sus- 


A   CHRISTIAN   OPTIMIST.  105 

pected.  Realizing  how  much  this  would  add  to  her 
burden,  she  roused  herself  to  enter  into  conversation, 
even  relating  some  amusing  details  of  her  German 
adventures  ;  so  that,  by  the  time  breakfast  was  over, 
Edna  began  to  feel  that  perhaps  she  had  been  mis- 
taken, and  that  her  imagination  had  led  her  into 
serious  error.  Still,  as  day  after  day  passed,  and 
Kudora's  heart-happy  looks  had  not  returned,  though 
her  countenance  was  calm  as  ever,  Edna  took  back 
her  former  opinion  to  a  certain  extent,  feeling  sure 
that  some  damage  had  been  done,  though  perhaps  not 
so  much  as  she  at  first  had  feared. 

Meanwhile,  outwardly  all  was  prosperous.  Gladys' 
class  now  numbered  six,  and  she  was  also  giving  draw- 
ing lessons  to  Gabrielle.  The  little  store  was  becoming 
well  known  in  the  neighborhood.  Many  customers 
were  attracted  at  first  from  curiosity  to  see  the  brave 
young  girls  who  had  so  suddenly  been  plunged 
from  affluence  into  dire  poverty.  In  many  cases, 
interest  took  the  place  of  curiosity,  and  Edna  felt 
that  she  was  rapidly  making  friends — at  least  ac- 
quaintances, who  might  one  day  become  friends.  Then 
Eudora's  services  were  coming  more  and  more  into 
requisition  as  her  value  became  known.  People  began 
to  find  out  that  their  children's  clothes  were  so  skill- 
fully repaired,  and  even  turned  and  altered,  that  the 
expense  of  having  her  was  more  than  made  up  by  the 
fewer  clothes  needed.  Often  she  would  spend  a  whole 
day  in  one  family  ;  and  finally  all  her  days  were  em- 
ployed with  the  exception  of  Saturday,  which  she 
reserved  for  the  use  of  her  own  household.  Her 
mission  class  increased  from  week  to  week,  so  much 


106  A   BUSINESS   VENTURE;    OR, 

so  that  the  problem  arose  how  to  accommodate  them 
all  in  that  little  room.  Here  her  faithful  assistant, 
Gabrielle,  came  to  the  rescue.  "Miss  Kudora,"  she 
said,  on  one  of  the  nights  upon  which  she  was  still 
awake  when  her  friend  came  over,  "I  have  a  splendid 
plan  in  my  head." 

'  'Have  you,  dear  ?     May  I  ask  what  it  is  ?  " 

"Why  you  know,  Miss  Kudora,  that  our  mission- 
class  is  getting  too  large  to  hold  in  that  tiny  room — 
it's  a  very  nice  room,"  Gabrielle  hastened  to  add,  fear- 
ful of  hurting  her  friend's  feelings — she  was  improv- 
ing in  this  direction — "but  you  know  it  is  small." 

"Yes,"  assented  Budora,  "there  is  no  denying  that 
fact ;  and  I  have  been  thinking  what  we  could  do 
about  it.  I  don't  like  to  turn  any  of  those  poor  chil- 
dren away,  and  yet — " 

'  'You  won't, ' '  interrupted  Gabrielle,  gleefully.  '  'You 
won't  have  to  turn  any  away!  We  can  take  a  whole 
lot  more,  too!  There's  a  room  that  was  built  on  one 
side  of  the  barn  for  the  coachman  to  sleep  in ;  but  it 
has  been  used  instead  for  a  sort  of  lumber-room,  and 
it's  full  of  tools  and  boxes  and  trunks,  and — O  all 
sorts  of  trash.  Well,  to-day  I  told  Grandma  what  a 
time  we  had  to  crowd  those  children  in,  and  I  asked 
her  if  we  couldn't  have  that  room.  She  went  right 
out  to  look  at  it,  and  she  said  all  those  things  could  be 
put  into  the  harness-room  next  the  stable.  She  will 
have  it  attended  to  to-morrow,  she  said,  and  have  it 
all  cleaned  out,  and  O,  won't  it  be  nice?  " 

"Yes,  indeed,"  replied  Eudora.  "It  is  very  kind  of 
your  Grandma  to  take  so  much  trouble  about  it,  and  I 
have  no  doubt  it  will  be  just  the  thing." 


A   CHRISTIAN   OPTIMIST.  107 

There  was  a  pause.  ' ' Miss  Eudora. ' '  '  'Yes,  Gabfi- 
elle." 

"You  don't  seem  so  happy  about  it  as  I  thought  you 
would  be." 

"Don't  I,  dear?  But  I  am  pleased,  and  very  grate- 
ful to  my  little  assistant  for  taking  so  much  interest 
and  trouble  in  the  matter."  Another  pause. 

"Miss  Eudora,  you  don't  seem  so — so — jolly  as  you 
used  to  be." 

Eudora  was  somewhat  startled  and  surprised  ;  she 
had  not  given  Gabrielle  credit  for  being  of  an  observ- 
ing nature,  and  had  had  no  idea  that  any  change  in 
her  appearance  or  manner  had  been  noticed  by  the 
child.  So  it  was  perhaps  with  a  little  vexation 
that  she  replied,  "Gabrielle,  you  had  better  go  to 
sleep,  instead  of  lying  there  imagining  things  about 
people."  But  even  as  she  said  the  words,  her  con- 
science rebuked  her  for  even  intimating  that  there  was 
no  truth  in  the  little  girl's  remarks. 

"O  but,  Miss  Eudora,  it's  not  imagination — at  least, 
/did  not  imagine  it.  I  heard  Gradma  say  so  to  Grandpa 
the  other  day.  She  said  you  looked  pale  and  unspirited, 
and  that  now  there — " 

"Gabrielle,"  interposed  Eudora  firmly,  "it  is  very 
wrong  to  repeat  to  persons  anything  you  hear  said  of 
them,  if  they  are  not  intended  to  know  it.  So  don't 
do  it  again,  dear.  And  as  to  me,  I  have  had  a  good 
deal  to  try  me  of  late,  and  am  not  so  jolly — as  you  ex- 
press it — as  I  used  to  be.  But  that  will  pass  away, 
and  I  shall  be  like  myself  again.  And  in  the  mean- 
time, Gabrielle,  don't  speak  of  this  to  anyone.  I  am 


io8 


A   BUSINESS   VKNTURE  ;    OR, 


sure,  if  I  ask  this  of  you,  I  can  trust  you  to  do  as  I 
wish." 

"Indeed  you  can,  Miss  Kudora.  I'll  never  say  a 
single  word  to  anyone,  not  even  to  Grandma." 

"Thank  you,  dear.  And  now  good  night,  and 
pleasant  dreams." 


A   CHRISTIAN   OPTIMIST.  log 


CHAPTER  XII. 

The  next  day,  when  Eudora  returned  from  her 
duties,  Gabrielle  ran  over,  begging  her  to  come  and 
see  how  she  liked  their  new  mission  room.  Logan 
was  with  her,  and  nothing  would  do  him  but  that 
Gladys  must  come  too;  .so  both  accompanied  the  chil- 
dren. With  a  look  of  triumph,  Gabrielle  threw  open 
the  door,  then  stepped  back  while  the  girls  went  in; 
and  she  and  Logan  followed  to  watch  the  effect. 

"Why,  this  is  charming!"  exclaimed  Eudora.  "I 
am  indeed  surprised,  Gabrielle!  " 

"I  should  think  so!"  said  Gladys.  "It  is  quite 
nice  enough  to  live  in." 

"That's  what  I  said,"  laughed  Gabrielle  jumping 
up  and  down  in  delight.  "I  never  guessed  myself  it 
would  be  so  nice!  " 

"What  are  you  so  happy  about,  little  daughter?" 
said  a  voice  behind  them;  and  the  girls  turned  to 
greet  Mr.  Ernest,  who  stood  in  the  doorway. 

"O  papa!"  exclaimed  Gabrielle,  springing  to  his 
side.  "Isn't  this  a  lovely  room  for  our  class ?  Miss 
Eudora's  class  and  mine,  you  know — our  mission 
class." 

"Indeed,  I  was  not  aware  of  the  fact  that  Miss 
Grayston  and  yourself  were  in  partnership  in  a 
benevolent  scheme,"  replied  the  gentleman  with  his 
usual  grave  smile.  "I  should  have  supposed  that  my 


110  A   BUSINESS   VENTURE;    OR, 

little  daughter  needed  instruction  herself  instead  of 
her  teaching  others." 

"O,  but  papa,  I  don't  teach;  I  help  sing,  and  give 
around  crackers  and  such  things,  you  know.  And  I 
am  taught  myself,  for  I  go  to  Sunday  School  in  the 
morning;  and  then  I  learn  a  great  deal  from  what 
Miss  Eudora  teaches  the  children.  And  O  papa, 
they're  so  funny,  some  of  them!  They  did  not  know 
anything  when  they  first  came,  and  now  some  of  them 
are  getting  to  know  a  good  deal.  You  must  come  and 
listen  some  day,  and  then  you'll  see  for  yourself." 

"If  Miss  Grayston  will  second  your  kind  invita- 
tion, little  daughter,  I  shall  be  most  happy  to  accept." 

And  he  bent  his  dark  eyes  inquiringly  upon  Hudora, 
who  laughingly  evaded  the  question,  and  turned  all 
her  attention  to  examination  of  the  room.  A  small 
table  in  the  center,  several  wooden  benches  against  the 
walls,  with  two  chairs  for  the  teachers — a  blackboard, 
pretty  white  muslin  curtains  draped  at  the  two  win- 
dows, and  a  wide  strip  of  carpet  across  the  middle  of 
the  floor,  completed  the  furnishings. 

"It  is  indeed  a  charming  room,"  said  Eudora. 
1  'We  must  try  to  fill  it,  Gabrielle." 

lyOgan  had  been  looking  on  with  a  dissatisfied  air 
after  the  first  few  minutes. 

"What  is  the  matter,  little  man?  "  asked  his  father, 
taking  him  up  in  his  arms.  "Does  this  fine  apart- 
ment not  meet  with  your  approval  ?  " 

"Why,  papa — we're  awfully  crowded  in  our  room 
over  there,  and  nobody  gives  us  a  room  to  have  our 
lessons  in — and — and — I  don't  like  it!  "  he  added  with 
a  burst  of  tears. 


A   CHRISTIAN   OPTIMIST.  Ill 

"Well,  little  son,  neither  would  papa  like  it,"  said 
his  father,  kissing  the  wet  cheeks.  "And — why,  Miss 
Grayston,  why  cannot  this  room  do  for  you  likewise — 
since  the  mission  class  only  occupies  it  on  Sunday  ?  " 

"Indeed,  it  would  do  very  well,  Mr.  Warringsford, 
I  am  sure.  I  had  thought  of  it  just  before  L,ogan 
spoke.  But  possibly  Mrs.  Warringsford  may  not  like 
to  have  the  children  tramping  daily  through  her 
grounds." 

"Indeed,  she  has  no  objection,"  said  that  lady,  who 
just  now  entered,  "to  their  going  through  the  very 
small  part  of  the  grounds  which  alone  would  be  nec- 
essary. You  know,  Miss  Gladys,  they  can  enter  your 
back  gate  as  hitherto,  and  come  through  the  side  path, 
which,  as  you  see,  is  only  a  short  distance  from  this 
room.  No,  I  am  not  at  all  afraid  of  your  scholars; 
but  Gabrielle  must  keep  guard  that  no  mischief  is  done 
by  hers" — 

"Grandma!"  remonstrated  the  little  girl,  "you  don't 
know  how  well  they  are  getting  to  behave.  They 
wouldn't  touch  a  flower  or  do  a  bit  of  mischief  for  the 
world!" 

Kudora  was  by  no  means  so  sure;  but  she  inwardly 
resolved  that  she  would  take  good,  care  no  harm  should 
be  done! 

"I  was  intending,"  said  Mrs.  Warringsford,  "to 
propose  this  plan  to  you,  knowing  how  crowded  you 
must  be.  Besides,  a  lady  has  this  moment  left  me 
who  called  to  ask  if  I  thought  you  would  be  willing  to 
take  girls.  She  has  two,  of  five  and  seven  years, 
whom  she  would  like  to  send,  and  will  call  on  you  to- 
morrow in  regard  to  the  matter.  They  are  very  nice 


112  A   BUSINESS   VENTURE;    OR, 

children,  and  now  that  want  of  room  is  no  obstacle,  I 
would  advise  your  giving  her  an  affirmative  answer." 

"If  you  think  I  can  manage  so  many,"  began 
Gladys,  doubtfully,  "I  should,  of  course,  be  glad"— 

"O  yes,  Miss  Gladys,  please  take  them,"  inter- 
posed L,ogan,  who  had  been  listening  attentively  to 
the  conversation.  "I  like  girls,  I  do — and  they  like 
me  too,  they  do." 

All  laughed,  and  Mr.  Ernest  remarked:  "I  should 
think  that  would  settle  the  matter,  Miss  Grayston. 
There  is  surely  nothing  to  be  said  after  that." 

"I  suppose  not,"  said  Gladys,  smiling.  ".I  can  at 
least  try  them,  and  if  I  do  not  succeed,  I  can  give 
them  up,  I  suppose.  What  do  you  think,  Eudora?" 

'  'I  should  certainly  try  them,  Gladys.  And  do  not 
have  any  idea  of  failure.  There  is  no  reason  you 
should  not  succeed,  I  am  sure." 

And  so  the  matter  was  settled,  and  on  the  following 
Monday,  Gladys  had  eight  in  her  class.  It  was  rather 
difficult  at  first  to  manage.  The  children  were  at  dif- 
ferent stages  in  their  progress,  and  it  was  not  an  easy 
matter  for  an  inexperienced  person  to  arrange  so  that 
each  child  should  get  the  proper  amount  of  instruc- 
tion. 

At  first,  Gladys  felt  discouraged,  and  at  the  end 
of  the  second  day  she  said  to  Eudora:  "I  do  believe  I 
shall  have  to  give  up.  I  am  really  afraid  they  will 
not  learn  anything.  While  I  am  teaching  one  class, 
the  other  children  are  whispering  or  carrying  on  in 
some  way  or  other;  and  I  do  not  feel  as  if  I  were  do- 
ing them  justice.  I  don't  want  to  take  money  for 


A   CHRISTIAN   OPTIMIST.  113 

nothing,  or  to  feel  that  they  would  be  doing  better 
somewhere  else;  and  I  am  afraid  they  would." 

"All  you  need  is  experience,"  replied  her  sister. 
1  'At  least  I  think  so.  You  might  give  those  who  are 
not  reciting  something  to  write  or  draw  on  their  slates 
or  on  the  blackboard.  And  if  they  persisted  in  talk- 
ing or  disturbing  the  others,  I  should  think  you  might 
stand  them  up  in  a  corner,  or  some  such  slight  punish- 
ment; probably  you  would  not  have  to  do  it  often." 

"But  I  do  so  dislike  having  to  punish,"  said  Gladys. 

"Yes,  it  is  not  pleasant,  but  sometimes  necessary." 
Eudora  Had  had  some  experience  of  the  kind  with  her 
mission  class.  "Besides,  Gladys,  you  cannot  expect 
to  go  on  smoothly  and  swimmingly  from  the  very  first, 
you  know.  Wise  people  say  that  real  success  in  any- 
thing involves  previous  failure,  and  that  failure  is  the 
price  paid  for  ultimate  success." 

"Perhaps  so,"  said  Gladys.  "I  shall  keep  on  for 
the  present,  but"- 

She  sighed  wearily  as  she  turned  away.  And  Ku- 
do ra  well  knew  that  her  sister's  trouble,  whatever  it 
might  be,  had  taken  the  spring  of  happiness  from  her 
work,  and  made  the  road  extremely  hard.  She  knew — 
because  it  was  now  her  own  experience,  and  she  felt 
a  tenderness  towards  Gladys,  and  a  sympathy  for  her, 
which  would  formerly  have  been  impossible. 

One  night  about  this  time,  Eudora  had  been  asleep 
for  two  or  three  hours,  when  she  was  roused  with  a 
start  by  the  ringing  of  the  bell  in  her  room.  She 
sprang  up  in  terror,  for  she  knew  that  it  would  not  be 
rung  without  urgent  cause.  Hastily  throwing  on  her 
dressing-gown  and  shoes,  and  without  reflecting  either 


114  A   BUSINESS   VENTURE;    OR, 

into  what  danger  she  might  be  running,  or  remember- 
ing Mrs.  Warringsford's  strict  injunctions  to  arouse 
the  family  in  such  a  case,  she  unlocked  the  side  door, 
and  ran  over  with  a  beating  heart.  The  door  was 
opened  by  Edna,  who  looked  tearful  and  frightened. 

"Hush!  "  she  said,  in  a  low  trembling  voice.  "She 
does  not  know  I  rang  the  bell,  and  she  is  asleep.  But 
O,  Eudora,  she  wras  going  on  so  in  her  sleep,  that  I 
just  could  not  stand  it  any  longer,  and  had  to  ring  the 
bell.  But  I  was  sorry  the  moment  I  did  it,  for  I  knew 
how  frightened  you  would  be." 

Eudora  sat  down  quickly,  for  she  felt  too  faint  to 
stand.  It  was  better  than  she  had  feared  in  one  wray, 
for  she  had  imagined  that  the  house  had  been  entered, 
or  an  entrance  attempted.  Yet  in  another  way,  it  was 
worse.  She  had  so  hoped  that  Gladys  was  getting 
over  her  trouble,  for  she  had  seemed  much  calmer  of 
late.  But  now  ? 

"What  did  she  say,  Edna  ?  Was  she  talking  in  her 
sleep?" 

"Yes,  talking  wildly,  and  tossing  her  arms  about. 
And  just  before  I  rang,  she  gave  a  scream — O,  it  was 
dreadful !  I  never  saw  her  so  before — not  so  bad,  at 
least,  though  she  often  talks  in  her  sleep." 

Just  then,  Gladys  called  Edna,  and  the  latter 
hastened  in,  begging  Eudora  not  to  let  Gladys  know 
she  was  there. 

"Why,  Edna!  "  said  Gladys  in  her  own  natural  tone. 
"Where  have  you  been?  I  awoke  and  was  quite 
frightened  not  to  find  you." 

"I  was  only  in  the  other  room,"  replied  Edna,  in 
as  careless  a  tone  as  possible. 


A   CHRISTIAN   OPTIMIST.  115 

"I  have  had  such  a  terrible  dream,"  said  Gladys. 
"I  feel  all  shaken  up.  But  do  come  to  bed,  Edna,  and  I 
shall  get  to  sleep  again — without  dreaming  this  time, 
I  hope." 

"I  shall  be  here  directly,  Gladys."  Then  slipping 
back  to  Eudora  and  closing  the  door  behind  her,  she 
whispered,  "she  is  all  right  now,  Eudora.  How  sorry 
I  am  you  were  so  frightened.  But  I  hardly  realized 
that  she  was  really  asleep.  It  is  all  right  now." 

"Well,  good  night,  dear.  I  must  run  back,  for  in 
my  fright  and  haste,  I  left  the  side  door  open — other- 
wise I  would  sleep  on  the  sofa.  But  I  think  you  will 
not  be  frightened  again  to-night,  and  to-morrow  we 
will  see  what  is  best  to  be  done." 

An  affectionate  good -night,  then  Edna  wraited  at 
the  door  until  Eudora  was  safely  in,  and  after  fasten- 
ing all  securely  once  more,  she  returned  to  Gladys. 

No  one  had  heard  Eudora  leave  the  house.  All 
was  dead  silence  as  she  bolted  the  door  and  regained 
her  room.  For  a  long  time  she  lay  awake  considering 
what  was  best  to  be  done.  Edna  was  rather  young  to 
have  such  a  nightly  anxiety  as  would  henceforth  be 
hers,  in  view  of  a  possible  recurrence  of  the  trouble. 
What  could  be  done?  If  she  should  propose  to  change 
places  with  Edna,  Gladys  might  suspect  something, 
and  that  would  only  add  to  her  trouble.  However,  it 
seemed  the  only  thing  to  be  done,  as  far  as  she  could 
now  see.  If  there  were  any  better  plan,  she  was  sure 
it  would  be  suggested  to  her,  as  she  had  put  this,  with 
everything  else  that  concerned  her,  into  the  hands  of 
her  unerring  Guide  and  leader. 

The  following  morning,  Edna  looked  pale  and  dis- 


Il6  A   BUSINKSS   VKNTURK;    OR, 

pirited,  Gladys  about  as  usual;  but  with  her  large 
amount  of  self-control,  it  was  difficult  to  tell  to  how 
much  restraint  she  was  subjecting  her  feelings.  Con- 
versation went  on  as  usual  at  the  table.  Suddenly 
Edna  exclaimed: 

"Eudora,  why  cannot  you  and  I  change  places 
for  awhile!  Turn  about  is  fair  play,  you  know,  and  I 
think  I  should  like  to  go  there  for  the  present,  if  you 
and  Mrs.  Warringsford  have  no  objection." 

Thus  relieved  from  the  necessity  of  deciding  the 
matter  for  herself,  Eudora  replied  : 

"I  think  it  would  be  a  very  good  plan,  Edna.  I 
had  thought  of  it  myself — if  Gladys  will  consent  to 
the  change  of  partners." 

"I  have  certainly  no  objection,"  replied  Gladys. 
But  she  gave  a  rather  doubtful  glance  at  both  girls. 
"I  believe  I  screamed  last  night,  for  I  had  frightful 
dreams.  Did  you  hear  me,  Edna?" 

"Yes,"  replied  her  sister,  scarcely  knowing  what  to 
say.  "What  did  you  dream,  Gladys?" 

'  'O,  don't  ask  me. "  And  Gladys  turned  so  pale,  that 
Edna  hastily  changed  the  subject,  to  which  no  further 
allusion  was  made  during  breakfast. 

This  was  Eudora's  day  for  being  with  Mrs.  War- 
ringsford; she  therefore  took  the  opportunity  for  speak- 
ing of  the  proposed  change.  Mrs.  Warringsford  looked 
grave. 

"I  have  no  positive  objection,  my  dear;  but  Gabrielle 
will  be  greatly  disappointed,  for  she  has  become  so 
much  attached  to  you.  May  I  ask  if  you  have  any 
special  reason  for  the  change?" 

Eudora  hesitated.     She  had  not  intended  saying  any- 


A   CHRISTIAN  OPTIMIST.  117 

thing  as  to  causes,  but  now  it  seemed  best  that  she 
should  confide,  to  a  certain  extent,  in  this  judicious 
friend.  She  therefore  replied: 

"I  have  a  reason,  Mrs.  Warringsford.  Gladys  has 
not  seemed  well  for  some  time  past,  and  of  late  has 
been  troubled  in  her  sleep.  This  has  made  Edna 
rather  nervous,  so  I  thought  it  best  that  I  should  stay 
for  the  present  with  Gladys,  and  have  Kdna  come 
here — that  is,  if  you  are  perfectly  willing." 

"Certainly,  my  dear,  since  you  have  good  reason 
for  the  change.  Gabrielle  will  feel  a  little  disappointed 
at  first,  but  she  will  soon  become  accustomed  to  Edna. 
Besides,  I  hope  you  will  shortly  return  to  us.  Yes,  I 
have  noticed  for  some  time  that  Miss  Gladys  was  look- 
ing pale  and  depressed.  You  do  not  consider  it  any- 
thing serious,  I  hope,  my  dear?" 

"I  hardly  know,  Mrs.  Warringsford.  Something 
has  evidently  happened  to  distress  her,  and  I  do  not 
like  to  force  her  confidence.  She  had  seemed  better 
of  late,  and  I  had  begun  to  hope  she  was  getting  over 
the  trouble,  but—" 

Eudora's  eyes  were  full  of  tears,  which  she  had  hard 
work  to  keep  from  overflowing. 

"Well,  now,  my  dear,"  said  Mrs.  Warringsford,  in 
her  kind,  sympathetic  way,  "I  think  you  may  have 
made  a  mistake  in  not  speaking  to  your  sister  in  re- 
gard to  the  matter.  Possibly  it  might  be  a  great  re- 
lief for  her  to  confide  her  trouble  to  you.  You  might 
be  able  to  make  her  see  that  it  is  not  so  bad  as  she 
fancies.  Of  course,  I  may  be  mistaken,  but  it  seems 
to  me  that  this  would  be  your  best  plan." 

•'Perhaps  so,"  said  Eudora,  thoughtfully.      "I  can 


Il8  A   BUSINESS   VENTURE;   OR, 

at  least  make  the  effort.  My  speaking  to  you  on  the 
subject  has  been  such  a  relief  to  me  that  possibly  it 
might  be  the  same  to  her.  Thank  you  so  much,  Mrs. 
Warringsford,  for  your  kind  advice  and  interest.  It 
makes  everything  so  much  easier  for  me." 

"My  dear,  I  hope  you  will  always  feel  that  you  can 
come  to  me  at  any  time,  and  make  me  a  sharer  in  your 
anxieties  and  griefs — of  your  joys,  also,  as  you  would 
to  your  own  mother,  had  she  lived.  I  lost  a  daughter 
of  nearly  your  age,  and  at  times  there  is  something 
about  you  reminding  me  of  her.  So  you  see  you 
have  a  claim  upon  me,  aside  from  any  ordinary  friend- 
ship." 

She  kissed  Kndora  as  she  finished  speaking,  and  the 
young  girl  felt  the  immense  relief  of  having  a  confi- 
dential, trustworthy  friend. 


A    CHRISTIAN    OPTIMIST.  IIQ 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

An  opportunity  occurred  that  very  night  of  speak- 
ing to  Gladys.  Edna  had  gone  over  early,  as  Mrs. 
Warringsf ord  had  sent  word  that  X>abrielle  begged  she 
would  come  and  see  some  magic-lantern  pictures  their 
father  was  to  exhibit  in  the  back  parlor  about  seven 
o'clock.  The  two  girls  were  together  in  the  sitting- 
room,  after  their  early  combination  dinner  and  tea. 
The  lamp  was  lighted  in  the  adjoining  room,  with  the 
door  open  between,  but  both  preferred  to  sit  for  awhile 
in  the  semi-darkness,  and  chat. 

"I  am  so  glad,"  began  Gladys,  "that  Edna  has  a 
chance  to  have  a  little  amusement.  She  has  been  so 
hard  at  work  of  late,  and  I  began  to  think  she  was 
getting  thin.  I  saw  you  looking  at  her  this  morning 
as  if  you  noticed  a  change  in  her." 

"She  certainly  looked  badly  to-day,"  replied  Eudora. 
"But" — she  hesitated,  then  went  on  more  firmly — 
"dear  Gladys,  has  it  not  occurred  to  you  that  she 
might  be  feeling  a  little  anxious  about  a  certain  sister 
of  hers? " 

'  'About  me?  "  Gladys  flushed  deeply.  '  'Why  should 
she"— 

Unaccustomed  to  insincerity,  she  paused  abruptly. 
There  was  an  awkward  pause,  then  Gladys  resumed: 

"Yes,  I  know  that  I  have  not  been  looking  well  of 
late — but,  for  that  matter,  Eudora,  neither  have  you." 

"That  is  true,  Gladys,  I  also  have  had  some  trouble; 
but  mine  is  vanishing,  while  yours" — 


I2O  A   BUSINESS   VENTURE;    OR, 

Another  pause,  during  which  Kudora  opened  her 
heart  to  receive  the  wisdom  which  was  waiting  to  be 
poured  therein. 

"Gladys,  dear,  I  am  going  to  tell  you  all  about  my 
trial,  though  I  once  thought  no  one  should  ever  know 
it;  because  it  was  not  a  full-fledged  trouble,  you  see, 
and  might  have  been  much  worse." 

It  was  terribly  hard  for  Hudora  thus  to  open  her 
heart  to  any  one  in  regard  to  this  affair,  owing  to  its 
peculiar  nature.  It  was  humbling  to  her  pride,  of 
which  she  had  her  share,  though  never  so  much  as 
Gladys.  But  if  it  might  prove  of  any  assistance  to 
this  dearly-loved  sister — which  her  heaven-born  in- 
stinct told  her  would  be  the  case — she  must  cast  aside 
all  selfish  considerations.  She  told  it  all — the  little 
details  she  had  thought  would  never  pass  her  lips;  and 
Gladys  listened  with  absorbed  interest  to  the  very 
end.  Then  she  drew  a  long  breath. 

"O  Kudora,  how  good  of  you  to  tell  me  !  And  I 
never  guessed  anything.  Only,  that  day  the  letter 
came,  it  struck  me  you  looked  pale,  and  for  a  moment 
I  wondered  whether  you  really  had  cared.  But  I  was 
so  taken  up  with  my  own  sorrows  that  I  selfishly 
thought  no  more  about  you.  Poor,  dear  girl  !  It  was 
too  bad  !  It  was  just  a  shame  !  " 

"O  no,"  said  Eudora,  smiling  brightly.  "It  was 
hard  at  first,  and  all  looked  dark.  But,  Gladys,  the 
light  has  come.  Not  in  a  sudden  flash,  but  gradually 
— as  a  clear  morning  follows  the  slow  advancing  dawn. 
I  knew  all  along  that  it  was  for  the  best — since  all 
things  work  for  good  ;  but  now  I  so  clearly  see  and 


OR   CHRISTIAN   OPTIMIST.  1 21 

feel  it,  and  its  every  shadow  has  passed  away  for- 
ever ! " 

There  was  a  long  pause. 

"I  am  very  glad,  dear  Hudora."  Gladys  could  not 
be  demonstrative  like  Kdna,  but  Kudora  knew  the 
deep  feeling  underlying  her  words.  '  'Eudora  ' ' — she 
paused,  flushed,  turned  pale  again.  "You  have  done 
me  good — I  am  very  much  better  than  I  was  before 
we  had  this  conversation.  But  will  you  be  seriously 
vexed  with  me  if  I  still  think  it  best  not  to  tell  you 
what  troubles  me  ?  Perhaps  I  may  some  day.  If  it 
should  become  unbearable,  I  promise  you  I  will.  But 
my  judgment  tells  me  that  just  now  I  had  better  be 
silent.  It  is  not  of  such  a  nature  as  yours,  Kudora — 
if  it  were  you  should  know  it  in  a  minute,  for  I  do  be- 
lieve this  sorrow  has  melted  all  my  pride  away.  But 
you  must  trust  me,  and  believe  it  is  best  you  should 
not  know  it — at  least  at  present.  I  thought  it  would 
be  intolerable  to  have  any  one  even  suspect  I  was  in 
deep  trouble.  But  I  am  so  relieved — so  much  lighter 
hearted — and  I  thank  you  more  than  I  can  tell. 
Please,  please,  don't  be  vexed  with  me." 

"Certainly  not,  dear  Gladys.  You  have  a  perfect 
right  to  do  as  you  think  best  in  the  matter.  I  depend 
on  your  promise  to  tell  me  when  you  feel  that  you 
can  not  bear  it  alone  ;  and  until  then  I  am  satisfied, 
knowing  that  as  for  me,  so  for  you,  the  light  is  only 
waiting  to  be  revealed." 

Gladys  shook  her  head. 

"Not  as  it  has  for  you,  Dorrie  " — a  pet  name  Gladys 
had  not  used  for  years.  "Doubtless  time  will  blunt 
the  keenness  of  the  suffering,  and  I  shall  be  calm  once 


122  A   BUSINESS   VENTURE;    OR, 

more  ;  but  light  will  never  dawn  for  me  as  it  has  for 
you." 

"O,  but  it  will,  dear  Gladys,"  said  Eudora,  brightly, 
"I  am  quite  a  prophet  at  times,  and  I  prophesy  that 
before  very  long  you  will  be  happier  than  you  now  be- 
lieve possible." 

Then  Eudora  wisely  changed  the  subject,  and 
Gladys  retired  to  rest  that  night,  though  still  sad,  yet 
with  a  lighter  heart  than  had  been  the  case  since  the 
first  of  her  sorrow. 

Meantime,  Edna  was  having  a  charming  time. 
Gabrielle  at  first  felt  much  disappointed  upon  finding 
that  her  dear  Miss  Eudora  was  not  to  be  her  nightly 
companion  for  the  present  ;  but  Edna  was  so  bright, 
so  full  of  life  and  spirits,  entering  into  the  fun  with 'as 
keen  a  zest  as  the  children,  that  the  little  girl  was 
speedily  reconciled  to  the  change.  Mr.  Ernest  was 
the  exhibitor,  and  unbent  as  far  as  his  reserved  nature 
would  allow.  His  gravity,  however,  was  his  chief 
attraction  in  Edna's  eyes. 

"He  is  so  aristocratic,"  she  thought  again  and 
again.  "I  do  not  think  jolly  men  are  half  so  in- 
teresting." 

It  is  to  be  feared  poor  Mr.  Crescent  was  in  her  mind. 

When  bedtime  came,  Gabrielle — who  was  allowed 
to  sit  up  until  half -past  nine — had  decided,  with  the 
quick  facility  of  childhood,  that  Miss  Edna  was  really 
just  about  as  nice  as  Miss  Eudora. 

Next  morning,  Edna  encountered  two  bright  faces 
at  the  breakfast  table.  Eudora  had  usually  worn  a 
cheerful  air,  and  had  lately  by  degrees  been  recover- 
ing the  radiant  look  of  former  days;  but  here  was  the 


A   CHRISTIAN   OPTIMIST.  123 

first  happy  look  on  Gladys'  countenance  since  that 
mysterious  event. 

"Well,"  she  exclaimed,  "the  change  has  done  us 
all  good!  O  girls,  you  don't  know  what  a  lovely  time 
I  had!  Everything  was  delightful,  and  they  were  all 
so  kind  and  nice!  " 

"I  am  glad  you  had  a  happy  time,  dear,"  said  Eu- 
dora.  "And  you  shall  stay  there  for  the  present  at 
any  rate — perhaps  altogether." 

Edna  clapped  her  hands.  She  was  still  scarcely 
more  than  a  child,  and  the  late  strain  had  been  hard  to 
bear.  Now  the  relief  was  great,  and  her  elastic  na- 
ture rebounded  as  soon  as  the  burden  was  lifted.  To 
see  her  dear  Gladys  cheerful  once  more  was  of  itself 
happiness  enough.  The  pleasure,  too,  of  the  previous 
night,  and  the  prospect  of  more,  added  to  her  high 
spirits,  so  that  she  felt  no  lack  of  anything. 

"Now,  Edna,"  said  Eudora,  when  they  were  wash- 
ing the  dishes .  together — Gladys  had  gone  to  her 
school-room,  having  some  preparations  to  make  for 
her  scholars — *  'I  have  a  serious  plan  to  propose  to  you — 
I  hope  it  may  meet  with  your  approbation." 

A  cloud  overspread  Edna's  countenance. 

"Serious!"  she  echoed.  "O  dear!  I  have  had  so 
much  seriousness!  I  did  hope  I  was  over  it  for  the 
present  at  least." 

"Don't  be  alarmed,  little  sister!  It  is  serious,  but 
not  sad.  And  I  really  think  you  may  like  it." 

"Do  tell  me  quick,"  said  Edna.  "I  hate  to  be  kept 
in  suspense." 

''Well,  then,  Edna,  you  know  you  are  only  eighteen, 
and  your  education  is  far  from  completed.  In  fact, 


'  124  A  BUSINESS  VENTURE;   OR, 

this  is  the  case  with  Gladys  and  myself,  though,  of 
course,  to  a  lesser  extent." 

"I  know  it,"  said  Edna,  "and  I  often  feel  badly 
about  it,  but  you  see  I  can't  go  to  school." 

"No,  but  this  is  my  plan.  •  You  have  a  great  deal 
of  time  to  yourself  in  the  store,  now  that  you  are  no 
longer  so  busy  making  all  those  fancy  article,  as  there 
is  quite  a  stock  of  them  on  hand.  I  therefore  propose 
that  at  least  one  hour  in  the  morning,  and  one  in  the 
afternoon,  shall  be  given  to  your  studies,  of  which  I 
shall  mark  you  out  a  plan,  and  you  can  recite  to  me 
every  evening  before  going  to  Mrs.  Warringsford's. 
How  does  that  suit  your  ladyship?" 

"Well  enough,"  replied  Edna,  doubtfully.  "But 
what  do  you  want  me  to  study  ?  " 

"History  for  one  thing.  You  might  read  a  portion 
every  day,  then  write  out  a  synopsis  of  what  you  have 
read,  and  show  it  to  me  in  the  evening.  Then  arith- 
metic. You  can  begin  your  algebra  again,  for  I 
hardly  think  you  were  very  thorough  in  it,  and  do  a 
certain  number  of  problems  daily.  If  you  should  be 
puzzled  at  any  time,  I  can  probably  help  you,  as  I  in- 
tend reviewing  the  book  myself  of  evenings,  and  am 
somewhat  more  advanced  in  that  branch  than  my  little 
sister.  We  can  begin  with  these  two  studies,  as  I  think 
they  were  your  special  bugbears,  and  it  seems  best  to 
attack  them  first.  What  do  you  say  to  my  plan?  " 

"I  like  it,"  replied  Edna,  in  the  same  doubtful  tone. 
"At  least  I  know  I  ought  to  do  it  anyway.  For  lately 
I  have  been  considering  my  educational  deficiencies, 
and  feeling  that  something  ought  to  be  done.  But  I 
hadn't  resolution  enough  to  set  myself  to  work.  You 


A   CHRISTIAN   OPTIMIST.  125 

see,  there  are  so  many  nice  books  in  the  store,  and  the 
latest  magazines,  and  it  is  so  easy  to  pick  one  up  in  the 
interval  of  customers.  So  I  have  drifted  on  and  on, 
with  many  a  prick  of  conscience,  I  assure  you,  and  I 
ought  to  be  delighted  that  I  am  forced  to  make  a 
halt.  I  don't  want  to  be  an  ignoramus,  and  be  only 
attractive  while  I  am  young ;  that's  what  happens  to 
empty-brained  people,  and  I  will  not  be  one  of  them." 

' 'Usually,"  said  Kudora.  "But  I  have  met  some 
very  interesting  people  who  had  almost  nothing  of 
what  one  calls  education.  They  had  brains  enough  to 
take  in  a  certain  kind  of  knowledge  from  all  about 
them,  and  to  use  it  in  a  practical  way — to  give  out 
what  they  had  absorbed,  in  such  a  manner  as  to  inter- 
est others,  and  to  keep  themselves  constantly  in  touch 
with  the  world  around  them.  But  they  were  people 
of  brains  in  the  first  place,  and  doubtless  would  have 
been  still  more  delightful,  had  the  advantages  of  cul- 
ture been  theirs." 

"I  suppose  so,"  said  Edna.  "But,  Eudora,  you  mis- 
take in  supposing  History  to  be  one  of  my  weak  points ; 
I  am  more  backward  in  Geography,  and  never  seem  to 
remember  where  places  are  situated.  I  don't  think  I 
remember  dates  either,  for  I  am  sure  Mademoiselle  was 
misty  herself  regarding  them.  I  once  asked  her  some 
date  that  anybody  ought  to  know — I  forget  now  what 
it  was — perhaps  the  Declaration  of  Independence — 
and  she  hesitated,  then  told  me  to  look  it  up  myself. 
I  forgot  all  about  it  until  the  evening,  when  she  re- 
minded me  of  it,  and  when  I  said  I  had  forgotten  to 
hunt  it  up,  she  told  me  what  it  was,  and  I  felt  sure 
she  had  forgotten  it  herself." 


126  A    BUSINESS   VENTURE ;    OR, 

Kudora  laughed,  then  said,  " never  mind  about 
Mademoiselle  now.  She  was  very  good  in  a  great 
many  ways,  and  we  are  much  indebted  to  her,  but  she 
was  of  a  literary  and  poetic,  rather  than  of  a  scientific 
turn  of  mind,  and  to  one  of  that  nature,  exactness  in  any- 
thing is  difficult.  You  are  precisely  the  opposite,  and 
should  now  make  good  progress  in  the  studies  you 
then  neglected  ;  so  I  shall  expect  wonders  from  you. 
Gladys  and  I  intend  reading  History,  and  studying 
other  things  of  evenings  after  you  have  gone  to  Mrs. 
Warringsford's ;  I  think  people  can  often  do  better 
work  after  they  are  grown  up  than  earlier  in  life, 
though  of  course  the  more  thorough  the  earlier  prep- 
aration, the  easier  the  after  work  will  be." 

"Well,"  said  Edna,  with  a  sigh,  "I  suppose  I  shall 
have  to  give  up  those  delightful  stories,  and  go  back 
to  every-day-ness,  and  humdrum-ness,  and  the  rnusti- 
ness  of  antiquity." 

"I  certainly  would  advise  your  giving  them  up  in 
the  morning.  In  fact,  if  you  would  give  them  up 
altogether  for  the  present  at  any  rate,  until  you  get 
into  the  habit  of  study,  it  might  be  best." 

"All  right,"  said  Edna,  firmly.  "I  shall  give  them 
up  for  a  month  any  way,  and  see  what  comes  of  it. 
Eudora,  I  want  to  ask  you  something — though  maybe 
you  won't  like  it;  but  I  do  so  want  to  know."  Edna 
paused,  looking  inquiringly  at  her  sister,  who  smil- 
ingly replied:  "Go  on  and  ask  your  question,  Edna; 
I  think  you  can  safely  do  so." 

"Well,  then,  what  I  want  to  know  is,  have  you 
been  singing  your  little  song  of  late?" 


A   CHRISTIAN   OPTIMIST.  127 

Kudora  flushed  deeply,  but  answered  calmly:  "Yes, 
dear,  every  night  as  usual.  Why  do  you  ask?" 

"O,  well,"  said  Edna,  mentally  blaming  herself  for 
indiscretion,  "I  only  thought  perhaps  you  hadn't." 

She  was  turning  away  when  Budora  stopped  her. 
"Wait  a  moment,  Edna.  I  think  I  know  why  you 
asked  me.  You  have  doubtless  noticed  that  of  late  I 
have  not  been  in  the  best  of  spirits.  That  is  true.  I 
had  what  I  considered  good  cause  for  being  sad.  But 
I  knew  surely  that  my  real  causes  for  thanksgiving 
were  just  what  they  had  ever  been,  so  I  thanked  God 
for  the  blessings  which  I  could  not  see  so  clearly  as  be- 
fore, but  which  I  believed  in  with  all  my  heart.  And 
now,  Edna,  the  light  has  come — the  sight  has  come; 
and  more  clearly  than  ever  do  I  see  the  goodness  and 
mercy  which  have  followed  me  every  step  of  the  way, 
and  will  follow  me  even  to  the  end." 

The  tears  were  in  Edna's  eyes,  but  she  tried  to  hide 
her  emotion  by  saying  lightly:  "It's  lovely,  of  course, 
to  be  able  to  feel  so.  But  I  think  I  should  get  tired 
of  saying  prayers  all  the  time." 

Then  Eudora  quoted,  smilingly: 

"To  talk  with  God,  no  breath  is  lost; 

Talk  on,  talk  on. 

To  walk  with  God,  no  strength  is  lost; 
Walk  on,  walk  on." 

"But  here  are  the  dishes  all  done,  and  it  is  about 
time  for  you  and  me  to  prepare  for  our  several  duties." 

"Please  wait  a  minute,  Eudora.  I  want  to  ask  you 
Something  more.  How  does  Gladys  happen  to  look 
so  cheerful  all  at  once?  Has  she  quite  got  over  her 


128 


A  BUSINESS  VENTURE;   OR, 


trouble,  or  did  you  use  some  magic  to  make  her  for- 
get it?" 

"Only  love's  magic,  little  sister.  She  is  cheered 
and  relieved  to  a  certain  extent;  but  the  sorrow  is  still 
there,  and  we  must  wait  patiently  until  it  is  removed." 

Yes,  the  sorrow  was  still  there,  and  now  and  then 
Gladys  would  fall  back  into  her  gloomy  moods,  or 
suddenly  remember,  with  a  shock  of  surprise  or  terror. 
But  the  intervals  of  cheerfulness  were  longer,  her 
sleep  became  less  troubled,  and,  on  the  whole,  there 
was  improvement. 


A   CHRISTIAN   OPTIMIST.  129 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

And  so  the  winter  passed,  and  April  was  at  hand. 
Most  of  the  time,  their  little  kitchen  fire  had  been  a 
real  necessity  in  order  to  keep  comfortably  warm, 
at  least  of  mornings  and  evenings,  on  sunny  days;  on 
rainy  days  it  was  kept  constantly  going.  Then  the 
communicating  doors  were  left  open,  and  some  degree 
of  warmth  penetrated  to  the  adjoining  rooms.  Edna 
tried  to  imagine  that  it  warmed  even  the  store,  but 
after  taking  two  severe  colds,  she  consented  to  employ 
the  customary  California  heat-imparter — a  large  lamp 
inclosed  in  a  reflector — which  really  threw  out  more 
heat  than  one  who  has  not  tried  it  would  suppose. 
On  unusually  chilly  days,  she  would  sometimes  warm 
a  thick  board  in  the  oven,  and  lay  it  under  her  feet  as 
she  sat  at  her  studies,  and  also  put  a  shawl  or  cape 
around  her  shoulders.  But  the  rainy  days  were  few 
and  far  between,  and  the  sunny  days  many  and  glori- 
ous; so  that  life,  as  far  as  climate  was  concerned,  was 
not  at  all  hard  to  bear. 

One  day,  late  in  the  afternoon,  as  the  girls  were  sit- 
ting down  to  dinner,  Mr.  Crescent  walked  in. 

"Do  not  let  me  disturb  you,  young  ladies.  Perhaps 
you  will  kindly  allow  me  to  join  you  in  a  cup  of  tea?" 

Of  course  he  had  a  warm  welcome,  especially  from 
Eudora  and  Edna.  Gladys,  after  her  usual  quiet  cour- 
teous greeting,  said  not  a  word,  although  Mr.  Crescent's 
inquiring  looks  were  chiefly  in  her  direction. 

"I  have  come   this   evening  for  a  particular  pur- 


130  A    BUSINESS  VENTURE;   OR, 

pose,"  he  said,  after  he  had  been  supplied  with  tea 
and  crackers,  refusing  more  substantial  nourishment. 
"It  is  a  considerable  time  since  our  Long  Beach  ex- 
cursion, and  another  expedition  is  now  in  order,  ac- 
cording to  my  idea — I  hope  also  to  yours." 

Edna  looked  delighted. 

"Of  course  it  is!"  she  said.  "Why  don't  you  say  so, 
girls?" 

"I  am  sure  it  would  be  delightful,"  said  Kudora, 
while  Gladys  murmured  something  to  the  same  effect. 

"Well,  then,  hear  my  plan,"  said  Mr.  Crescent. 
"You  have  been  to  the  coast,  but  not  to  the  canon, 
and  as  this  is  the  season  for  wild  flowers,  I  want  you 
to  see  them  in  all  their  beauty.  There  is  also  a 
business  side  to  the  question.  You  can  gather  a  quan- 
tity of  the  different  varieties,  and  my  friend,  Mrs. 
Parlot,  has  offered  to  instruct  you  in  the  art  of  pressing 
and  arranging  them,  so  that  you  will  have  some  fur- 
ther attractions  to  allure  the  tourist  to  our  little  store. 
Mrs.  Parlot  is  the  same  kind  friend  who  gave  me  in- 
formation regarding  the  sea-mosses  and  shells." 

"How  lovely!"  exclaimed  Kdna.  "I  have  always 
wanted  to  know  how  to  arrange  flowers  scientifically. 
You  can  add  the  artistic  touches,  Gladys." 

"Mrs.  Parlot  is  very  kind  to  take  so  much  trouble 
for  strangers,"  said  Gladys,  somewhat  stiffly.  .  "But  I 
do  not  see  that  we  have  any  claim — " 

She  paused,  with  a  feeling  that  her  intended  speech 
was  uncalled-for  and  out  of  place. 

'  'She  will  not  long  be  a  stranger,  when  you  have  once 
met  her,"  said  Mr.  Crescent,  somewhat  cast  down. 
"She  makes  every  one  feel  at  home  with  her  at  once, 


A  CHRISTIAN  OPTIMIST.  131 

and  takes  a  real  enjoyment  in  helping  all  who  need  her 
help." 

He  paused  for  a  moment,  during  which  Gladys  had 
an  uncomfortable  feeling  that  she  had  better  have  re- 
mained silent.  Then  he  resumed,  more  cheerfully: 

"I  have  a  special  wish  that  you  should  all  see  the 
Santiago  Canon.  It  is  rather  far — some  forty  or  fifty 
miles  off — but  we  go  by  rail  most  of  the  way,  and  can 
hire  some  kind  of  a  conveyance  for  the  remaining 
distance.  Mrs.  Warringsford  declines  being  of  the 
party,  as  she  fears  the  fatigue  may  be  too  much  for 
her,  but  Mrs.  Parlot  will  be  delighted  to  act  as  chape- 
ron, and  will  explain  the  pressing  process  on  the 
spot.  Mr.  Ernest  will  also  join  us,  and  Gabrielle,  at 
her  own  earnest  request.  I  flatter  myself  that  this  will 
make  a  charming  party.  I  trust  it  also  meets  your 
united  approbation." 

It  was  Eudora  who  took  upon  herself  to  answer  for 
all,  as  Gladys  did  not  seem  disposed  to  speak. 

"Indeed,  I  am  sure  it  would  be  most  charming, 
Mr.  Crescent,  and  you  are  extremely  kind  to  plan  the 
pleasure  for  us,  but  this  time  there  are  really  serious 
difficulties  in  the  way.  I  could  not  well  break  any 
of  my  engagements,  and  Gladys  could  hardly  dismiss 
her  class,  so  neither  of  us  could  take  Edna's  place 
in  the  store,  which  I  believe,  as  a  member  of  the  firm, 
you  do  not  approve  of  closing." 

"Permit  me  to  arrange  the  matter,  Miss  Eudora. 
In  fact,  it  is  already  arranged  in  my  own  mind.  The 
expedition  is  planned  for  Saturday  next;  therefore, 
your  difficulty,  and  Miss  Glady's,  are  disposed  of.  As 
to  Miss  Edna" — he  paused  and  looked  at  her  anxious 


132  A   BUSINESS   VENTURE;    OR, 

face  with  a  twinkle  in  his  eye.  "We  will  cut  the 
Gordian  knot  of  this  special  difficulty  with  a  single 
blow  of  the  sword.  We  shall  close  the  store  for  the 
day!  " 

"O!"  exclaimed  Edna,  half  relieved,  and  half  in 
doubt.  "But  I  thought  you  did  not  approve  of  that — 
when  we  went  to  Long  Beach,  you  know." 

"That  was  different,  Miss  Edna.  We  had  only 
commenced  business  then,  and  to  establish  a  character 
for  dependableness  is  essential  to  success.  That  char- 
acter is  now  established.  Besides,  next  Saturday  is  a 
special  holiday  of  some  kind — I  did  not  learn  exactly 
what  it  is — but  it  is  some  celebration  outside  the  city, 
so  that  LOS  Angeles  will  be  comparatively  deserted, 
and  possibly  you  might  not  have  a  single  customer  the 
entire  day.  So,  Miss  Edna,  you  shall  have  your  holi- 
day, and  we  will  close  the  store!  " 

Edna  clasped  her  hands  with  a  sigh  of  satisfaction. 
"How  perfectly  lovely!"  she  said;  she  was  a  modern 
young  lady,  and  dealt  in  superlatives.  '  'To  think  we 
can  all  go,  and  nobody  is  left  behind  to  spoil  the  pleas- 
ure of  others! " 

Each  for  her  own  special  reason,  Gladys  and  Eudora 
would  both  have  preferred  remaining  at  home.  But 
each  disliked  disappointing  the  others — besides,  their 
reasons  were  not  such  as  could  be  given.  So  they 
smilingly  accepted  the  invitation  with  thanks,  and  Mr. 
Crescent  and  Edna  were  radiant. 

"This  time  we  must  take  provisions,"  said  Mr. 
Crescent,  "as  there  is  nothing  to  be  had  in  the  moun- 
tains. Mr.  Ernest,  who  unites  with  me  in  the  affair, 
attends  to  that  part.  He  will  take  their  butler  to 


A   CHRISTIAN   OPTIMIST.  133 

manage  the  hamper  and  attend  to  the  commissary  de- 
partment in  general;  so  all  is  comfortably  arranged. 
I  forgot  to  mention  that  Mrs.  Parlot  has  a  fourteen- 
year-old  son,  who  accompanies  his  mother — a  very 
nice  boy,  by  the  way.  He  will  be  a  pleasant  com- 
panion for  Gabrielle,  with  whom  he  is  already  ac- 
quainted, and  who  greatly  admires  him;  but  I  fear 
the  admiration  is  hardly  reciprocated.  Lloyd  is,  how- 
ever, a  gentlemanly  lad,  and  treats  her  with  kindly 
politeness." 

"Suppose  it  rains,"  suggested  Edna. 

"It  is  not  likely  to  do  that,  Miss  Edna,  so  late  in 
the  season,  though  it  is  possible  until  early  May.  But, 
if  it  should  rain,  it  is  extremely  unlikely  that  it  would 
be  more  than  a  shower — in  which  case  we  could  retreat 
to  our  carriage  while  it  lasted.  We  do  not  take  rain 
into  account  when  planning  expeditions  in  these  re- 
gions; if  it  should  come,  it  will  be  only  one  of  the  ex- 
ceptions which  prove  the  rule." 

'  'How  nice, "  said  Edna.  ' 'We  were  always  looking 
out  for  storms  at  home." 

"Let  me  see,"  said  Mr.  Crescent,  "this  is  Wednes- 
day. Then  on  Saturday  next,  young  ladies,  if  you 
will  kindly  be  in  readiness  by  7  A.  M.,  Mrs.  Warrings- 
ford's  carriage  will  be  at  the  door  to  convey  you  and 
Gabrielle  to  the  depot,  where  Mr.  Ernest  and  myself 
will  be  awaiting  you — also,  Mrs.  Parlot  and  her  son, 
I  presume.  We  leave  this  time  by  the  Santa  Fe  depot, 
instead  of  the  Arcade,  as  when  we  wrent  to  Long 
Beach." 

Some  general  conversation  followed;  then  the  gen- 
tleman took  his  departure. 


134  A   BUSINESS   VENTURE;    OR, 

Saturday  dawned  clear  and  bright ;  with  that  fine 
crispiness  in  the  air  characteristic  of  a  Spring  morn- 
ing in  those  regions.  Edna  looked  into  the  store 
after  she  was  dressed ;  then  closed  and  fastened  the 
door  between  it  and  the  adjoining  room. 

"Good-bye,  old  store!"  she  said,  gayly.  "I'm  a 
lady  to-day.  A  lady  of  leisure,  about  to  step  into 
my  carriage,  and  forget  your  existence  for  the  next 
twenty-four  hours  at  any  rate!  You're  well  enough 
in  your  way,  but  I  would  not  die  of  grief  if  I  should 
never  see  your  face  again.  I  wouldn't  indeed!  Good- 
bye to  you,  old  store!  " 

"Nonsense,  Edna,"  said  Gladys,  who  overheard 
the  speech.  "I  hope  you  are  a  lady  as  much  in  the 
store  as  out  of  it.  And  you  had  better  not  speak  so 
disrespectfully  of  what  has  largely  contributed  to  our 
living.  But  you  are  so  happy  you  scarcely  know  what 
you  are  saying,  do  you,  Ducksie  ?  " 

It  was  long  since  Edna  had  heard  her  sister  use 
the  old  pet  name,  and  taking  it  as  a  harbinger  of  re- 
turning spirits,  she  felt  her  cup  of  happiness  full  in- 
deed. 

Soon  the  carriage  appeared,  with  Gabrielle  inside, 
and  of  course  overflowing  with  life  and  fun.  The 
butler  sat  beside  the  coachman,  feeling  the  dignity  of 
his  position,  and  doing  his  best  to  imitate  his  com- 
panion's stiff  straightness.  Mrs.  Warringsford  came 
down  to  the  gate  to  see  them  off,  and  to  give  final  di- 
rections to  Gabrielle  regarding  strict  observance  of  her 
elders'  commands.  Good-byes,  and  many  wishes  for 
a  happy  day — then  they  were  off. 

A  fifteen  minutes'  drive  brought  them  to  the  fine, 


A   CHRISTIAN   OPTIMIST.  135 

flower- surrounded  Santa  Fe  depot,  where  the  gentle- 
men awaited  them,  coming  forward  to  assist  them 
from  the  carriage.  In  the  waiting-room  were  Mrs. 
Parlot  and  her  handsome  son,  whom  Gabrielle  delight- 
edly greeted — for  she  had  not  known  of  his  being  one 
of  the  party.  Mrs.  Parlot  was  a  short,  stout,  little 
lady,  precisely  the  opposite  of  what  the  girls  had 
imagined — though  for  what  reason,  they  could  not 
have  told.  She  had  twinkling  blue  eyes,  a  snub  nose, 
merry,  laughing  countenance — "not  a  particle  of  style 
about  her,  and  homely  too,"  decided  Gladys  on  the 
spot.  Decided  it  with  a  feeling  of — yes,  let  it  be  con- 
fessed— a  feeling  of  satisfaction  which  she  would  have 
scorned  to  confess  even  to  herself,  considering  such 
pettiness  as  unworthy  of  a  lady,  besides  being  unable 
to  conceive  of  any  reason  why  Mrs.  Parlot's  appear- 
ance should  affect  her  in  any  possible  manner! 

The  boy  was  entirely  different  from  his  mother — 
"resembles  his  father  who  died  long  ago,"  Mr. 
Crescent  had  informed  them.  He  had  large,  dreamy 
brown  eyes,  olive  complexion  and  dark,  curly  hair — 
"just  as  sweet  as  can  be,"  Gabrielle  had  confided  to 
Edna  in  an  aside,  while  awaiting  their  train. 

Mrs.  Parlot  was  the  kind  of  woman  who  makes 
another  woman  feel  almost  instantly  at  ease  in  her 
presence  ;  and  it  was  not  long  before  all  the  girls  felt 
as  though  they  had  known  her  for  an  indefinite 
period.  Any  idea  they  might  have  had,  that  a 
stranger's  presence  would  mar  their  enjoyment,  and 
be  a  disagreeable  restraint,  vanished  even  before  the 
train  arrived,  and  they  started  on  their  journey  with 
the  pleasant  feeling  of  congeniality  all  around.  Well, 


136  A   BUSINESS  VKNTURK;    OR, 

not  quite  all  round.  Mr.  Ernest's  reserve  was  what 
it  had  ever  been ;  though  melting  now  and  then, 
to  a  more  or  less  extent,  it  was  still  there,  surrounding 
him  as  by  an  impenetrable  mist — indefinable  as  mist, 
and  yet  as  really  to  be  felt — dampening  to  a  greater  or 
lesser  degree,  according  to  the  susceptibility  of  tem- 
perament, the  spirits  of  those  about  him.  The  three 
girls  regarded  him  with  very  different  eyes. 

"I  certainly  do  not  admire  him,"  thought  Gladys, 
as  she  contrasted  him  with  another  person,  his  direct 
opposite.  ' '  He  is  cold  as  an  iceberg — really  makes 
me  feel  chilly." 

"What  an  admirable  father  he  makes,"  thought 
Eudora,  who  was  training  herself  to  see  the  best  in 
everything.  "How  perfectly  devoted  he  is  to  those 
children,  and  how  dearly  they  love  him." 

While  Edna  thought  for  perhaps  the  twentieth 
time,  '  'how  charmingly  aristocratic  he  is — so  interest- 
ing, so  polite,  such  a  perfect  gentleman  !  He  is  just 
the  nicest  man  I  ever  met  in  all  my  life  ! " 

About  thirty  miles  inland  by  rail  from  I^os  Angeles, 
they  stopped  at  a  small  town,  where  the  ladies  waited 
at  the  station  while  the  gentlemen  went  in  search  of 
a  vehicle.  In  about  half  an  hour  they  returned  with 
a  small,  shabby  hotel  omnibus,  that  being  the  only 
obtainable  conveyance  ;  the  others  being  off  on  pic- 
nics in  various  directions. 

"I  am  sorry,  ladies,"  said  Mr.  Crescent,  "but  this 
is  really  the  best  we  can  do  for  you,  and  we  had  some 
difficulty  in  securing  even  this  sorry  affair.  How- 
ever, it  is  cushioned,  the  springs  are  fairly  good,  and 
it  has  the  merit  of  affording  us  ample  room." 


A   CHRISTIAN   OPTIMIST.  137 

While  speaking,  Mr.  Crescent  was  handing  in  the 
ladies — then  the  gentlemen  followed,  the  butler  with 
his  hamper  took  his  seat  beside  the  driver,  and  they 
were  off. 

"What  a  beautiful  little  town,"  said  Mrs.  Parlot,  as 
they  passed  by  the  plaza,  situated  about  the  center  of 
the  place,  its  borders  one  mass  of  brilliant  flowers, 
and  beds  of  grass  plots  here  and  there,  kept  green 
and  luxuriant  by  the  overflowing  basin  of  the  fountain, 
whose  sparkling  waters  were  seen  from  quite  a  dis- 
tance, "I  do  think  Southern  California  excels  in  its  nu- 
merous picturesque  towns  and  villages.  L,ook  at  these 
cosy,  comfortable  cottages !  And  there  are  some 
pretty  villas — and,  actually,  an  imposing  hotel  build- 
ing !  One  would  not  suppose  there  would  be  pat- 
ronage in  such  a  small  place  to  warrant  so  large  a 
structure. ' ' 

"There  are  numerous  commercial  travelers  stopping 
over  night  at  even  these  small  towns,"  said  Mr.  Cres- 
cent. "Then  occasionally  a  family  traveling  in  search 
of  health  makes  a  longer  or  shorter  stay.  Then 
many  of  the  well-to-do  families  in  the  town  find  it 
convenient  to  take  at  least  their  dinner  at  the  hotel — 
the  price  for  meals  being  low  enough  to  make  it  worth 
their  while,  and  help  of  any  kind  being  difficult  to 
procure.  By  one  means  or  other  they  usually  make 
then  pa}7,  to  at  least  a  moderate  extent.  Money  is  de- 
cidedly scarce  in  these  small  places." 

Soon  they  were  passing  long  shady  avenues  (lined 
on  either  side  with  graceful  pepper- trees)  or  rows  of 
tall  eucalyptus  or  evergreens  of  various  description. 


138  A    BUSINESS   VENTURE;    OR, 

Sometimes  they  passed  lemon  orchards,  some  of  the 
yellow  fruit  still  hanging  upon  the  branches — again 
orange  orchards  where  the  snowy  blossoms  shed  de- 
lightful perfume  and  contrasted  with  the  bright  colors 
of  the  ripe  fruit  which  here  and  there  had  been  left 
ungathered.  Hedges  of  clipped  evergreens  inter- 
twined oftentimes  with  red  geraniums  were  numerous. 
Soon  they  entered  upon  the  open  plains,  no  less 
interesting  in  their  way — more  so  indeed,  as  being  a 
less  accustomed  sight.  Queer  forms  of  cacti  were 
here  in  abundance  on  either  side  ;  farther  on  they 
passed  through  rocks  and  hills,  where  rabbits  and 
squirrels  darted  across  the  road,  disappearing  into 
their  holes  as  the  sound  of  wheels  startled  them — or 
lizards  ran  to  one  side  ;  and  once  a  butcher-bird  rose 
from  the  ground  directly  in  front  of  them  and  soared 
away  with  a  snake  dangling  from  his  bill. 

"He'll  eat  all  he  can  of  it,"  said  Mr.  Crescent; 
"then  with  his  sharp  bill,  he  will  make  a  hole  in  a 
tree  where  he  will  secure  his  victim  until  hunger  sends 
him  in  search  of  it." 

"How  very  fast  the  horses  are  going!"  remarked 
Mrs.  Parlot,  a  little  uneasily.  '  "The  driver  seems  to 
find  difficulty  in  holding  them.  I  hope  they  are 
safe." 

"What  is  the  matter  with  your  horses,  driver?" 
asked  Mr.  Ernest.  "They  seem  restless." 

"That's  just  what  they  be,"  replied  the  man. 
"We're  gettin'  near  the  canon,  an'  some  days  the  air 
sets  'em  a'most  wild.  I  kinder  hated  to  bring  a  'bus 
load  of  tender- foots  along  up  yonder,  for  the  ladies 
mostly  gits  skeered,  an'  sometimes  they  holler.  But 


A   CHRISTIAN   OPTIMIST.  139 

that  skeers  the  horses  wuss,  an'  it's  a  heap  better  to 
keep  still.  I  guess  a  windstorm's  not  fur  off." 

They  were  at  that  moment  ascending  a  steep  hill, 
and  the  horses  had  slackened  their  pace. 

"But  why  does  the  air  of  the  canon  excite  them?  " 
inquired  lyloyd. 

"Ef  you'll  tell  me,  I'll  tell  you,"  replied  the  man, 
with  the  cool  familiarity  of  native-born  Californians. 

As  they  were  now  at  the  top  of  the  hill,  and  the 
horses  tearing  along  again  at  a  break-neck  speed,  the 
conversation  necessarily  ceased. 


140  A   BUSINESS   VENTURE;    OR, 


CHAPTER    XV. 

Only  two  of  the  party  were  nervous,  Mrs.  Parlot 
and — strange  to  say — Mr.  Ernest.  Brave  as  men 
usually  are,  in  most  things,  yet  in  the  matter  of 
horses,  he  was  a  veritable  coward;  and  not  all  the 
efforts  of  his  really  strong  will  could  make  him  other- 
wise. When  a  boy,  his  father,  noticing  this  trait,  had 
bought  him  a  beautiful  Shetland  pony,  hoping  that 
ownership  and  familiarity  would  overcome  the  inborn 
dread.  But  all  was  useless.  The  child  could  not  be 
induced  even  to  approach  the  animal,  and  when  his 
father  finally  lifted  him  bodily  and  placed  him  in  the 
saddle,  Ernest's  trembling  terror  amounted  almost  to 
a  fit,  so  that  the  attempt  was  abandoned  once  for  all. 
Of  course,  as  he  grew  older,  reason  took  the  upper 
hand,  and  he  gradually  accustomed  himself  to  driv- 
ing out  as  occasion  seemed  to  render  it  advisable;  but 
he  never  enjoyed  it,  and  never  went  for  personal 
pleasure.  He  hailed  the  approaching  advent  of  the 
automobile,  and  was  at  the  present  time  negotiating 
for  the  purchase  of  one  of  a  kind  he  specially  admired. 
He  had  never  joined  in  the  bicycle  craze.  Dignity 
and  wheels  were  to  him  irreconcilable  terms,  at  least 
as  far  as  he  himself  was  concerned;  he  never  objected 
to  their  use  by  others. 

He  was  now,  therefore,  decidedly  uncomfortable  in 
view  of  the  horses'  friskiness,  and  heartily  wished 
himself  elsewhere. 

Edna's    quick  eye    saw  his    uneasiness.     "He    is 


A  CHRISTIAN  OPTIMIST.  141 

anxious  about  Gabrielle,"  she  thought  "How  good 
he  is!" 

Kudora  also  privately  took  notice,  but  divined  better 
the  cause.  "I  wish  he  had  my  panoply  against  fear," 
she  thought.  "I  remember  how  afraid  I  used  to  be 
of  various  things.  What  a  rest  it  is  to  be  afraid  of 
nothing." 

Something  perhaps  in  her  calm,  unmoved  coun- 
tenance attracted  Mr.  Ernest's  attention. 

"You  do  not  object  to  this  headlong  speed,  Miss 
Grayston?"  He  was  seated  near  her,  and  the  noise 
prevented  their  conversation  from  being  heard  by  the 
others.  "You  seem  rather  to  enjoy  it,  if  I  am  not 
mistaken." 

"I  hardly  think  I  really  enjoy  it,  Mr.  Warrings- 
ford.  But  I  can  truly  say  that  I  do  not  feel  afraid." 

"I" — she  hesitated.  He  was  so  much  of  a  stranger 
—he  might  not  like  it.  But  it  might  do  good;  she 
would  not  let  the  opportunity  slip. 

"I  have  now  a  remedy  for  fear,  Mr.  Warringsford. 
I  used  to  be  extremely  nervous." 

Mr.  Krnest  made  a  long  pause,  and  Kudora  felt  that 
perhaps  her  remark  had  been  an  unwise  one.  But  he 
spoke  at  last  in  his  slow,  measured  tones,  glancing 
anxiously  from  time  to  time  at  the  horses. 

"May  I  take  the  liberty  of  inquiring,  Miss  Gray- 
ston, in  what  that  remedy  consists?" 

"Certainly,"  replied  Kudora.  "It  is  a  very  old  one, 
Mr.  Warringsford,  and  yet  ever  new  and  efficacious  to 
those  who  faithfully  use  it — 'I  will  fear  no  evil,  for 
Thou  art  with  me.'" 

A  longer  pause — then    Mr.   Krnest   remarked:    "A 


142  A   BUSINESS    VENTURE;    OR, 

simple  remedy  indeed,  Miss  Graystou.  Rather  a  pre- 
ventive, is  it  not?" 

Before  Eudora  could  reply,  their  driver,  by  a  tre- 
mendous exertion  of  muscle,  brought  his  horses  to  a 
standstill,  and  by  the  same  muscle  kept  them  from 
starting  off  again,  which  they  were  wild  to  do;  for  a 
man  stood  by  the  roadside,  holding  up  a  warning  arm. 

"I  just  wanted  to  tell  you,"  he  called,  as  soon  as  his 
voice  could  be  heard,  "to  look  out  as  you  go  along 
this  here  region.  I've  just  killed  five  rattlers" — rat- 
tlesnakes— "and  it's  pretty  likely  there's  more  of  'em 
about.  They  was  more  lively  than  common,  too.  I 
had  a  stirrin'  time  of  it,  7  tell  you.  It's  so  purty 
around  here  that  many  gets  out  to  walk  about  a  bit. 
But  'twouldn't  be  safe  to-day,  for  the  critters  has  got 
stirred  up  and  might  be  ugly.  No  thanks.  Good-day 
to  you." 

And  they  were  off  again  as  hard  as  ever. 

"How  perfectly  dreadful!"  exclaimed  Mrs.  Parlot. 
"I  have  such  a  horror  of  snakes!  And  to  think  of 
their  being  all  about  us!  Are  there  any  in  the  place 
to  which  we  are  going,  Mr.  Crescent  ?" 

"Very  few,  Mrs.  Parlot.  It  is  more  than  likely  we 
shall  not  encounter  any.  And  they  are  so  torpid  as 
never  to  attack  unless  first  molested — stepped  on  acci- 
dentally, for  instance." 

"Well,  but  what  is  to  prevent  our  stepping  on  them 
accidentally?  If  the  grass  is  at  all  thick,  I  should 
think  there  would  be  every  danger." 

'  'Have  no  fears  whatever,  my  dear  madam.  Through- 
out the  season,  lasting  perhaps  nine  months  in  the 
year,  parties  constantly  encamp  on  these  grounds, 


A   CHRISTIAN   OPTIMIST.  143 

sometimes  for  weeks  together.  This  would  hardly  be 
the  case  if  there  were  serious  danger  of  any  kind. 
Besides,  Mrs.  Parlot" — this  he  said  smilingly — "I 
trust  you  would  not  imagine  me  capable  of  taking  you 
into  any  risk  whatever.  That,  I  do  assure  you,  were 
in  the  nature  of  an  impossibility." 

"O  no,  indeed,  Mr.  Crescent,"  Mrs.  Parlot  hast- 
ened to  say.  "I  never  thought  of  such  a  thing.  Of 
course,  there  would  be  no  actual  danger.  But  I  am 
extremely  foolish  in  the  matter  of  snakes,  and  would 
prefer  not  to  encounter  even  the  mildest  one  on  earth.'" 

And  now  they  were  entering  the  beautiful  Santiago 
canon.  Their  way  led  through  woods  studded  with 
immense  live  oaks  and  other  trees,  from  some  of  which 
hung  festoons  of  the  graceful  mistletoe,  of  which 
Edna  declared  she  would  procure  some  to  take  home. 

"Unfortunately,  Miss  Edna,"  said  Mr.  Crescent, 
"as  you  perceive,  it  mostly  hangs  too  high  to  be  of 
practical  use." 

"O,  what  delightful,  cool-looking  water-cresses!" 
exclaimed  Mrs.  Parlot,  as  they  crossed  a  small  creek. 
"Cannot  we  procure  some  to  garnish  our  dishes?" 

"It  would  hardly  be  wise  to  make  the  horses  stop 
now,"  interposed  Mr.  Ernest,  hastily,  as  he  saw  Mr. 
Crescent  was  about  to  speak  to  the  driver.  '  'They  are 
at  present  going  at  a  moderate  pace,  and  there  is  no 
telling  what  they  may  do  if  checked  and  then  started 
off  again." 

"At  any  rate,"  said  Mr.  Crescent,  "we  are  almost 
at  our  stopping-place.  Some  of  us  can  easily  come 
down  here  and  pick  all  we  like." 


144  A   BUSINESS   VENTURE;    OR, 

Five  minutes  more,  and  they  emerged  into  a  clear 
open  space,  at  the  very  foot  of  the  hills. 

"This  is  our  camping  place,"  said  Mr.  Crescent. 
"Stop  under  that  clump  of  trees,  driver;  it  will  be  a 
good  place  to  tether  your  horses.  Ladies  " — as  they 
were  severally  helped  out — "let  me  introduce  to  you 
the  celebrated  Santiago  canon.  I  venture  to  say  you 
will  not  be  disposed  to  question  its  right  to  the  ad- 
jective." 

"No, -indeed,"  replied  Gladys,  to  whom  the  gentle- 
man specially  addressed  himself.  "It  is  even  finer 
than  I  imagined." 

"What  grand  peaks  on  this  side,"  said  Mrs.  Parlot. 
"And  do  look  at  that  clump  of  splendid  live  oaks  on 
our  other  side." 

"And  look  at  the  beautiful  flowers,"  said  Gabrielle. 
"O,  Miss  Kdna,  do  let  us  start  at  once  to  gather  some, 
woVt  you?  " 

She  also  looked  at  Lloyd  as  she  spoke,  and  the  boy 
at  once  prepared  to  accompany  the  girls. 

"Now,  do  not  go  too  far,  Lloyd,"  cautioned  Mr. 
Crescent.  "There  is  a  possibility  of  getting  lost 
among  those  mountains;  and  also  a  bare  possibility  of 
encountering  a  mountain  lion,  if  you  should  wander 
too  far  among  the  hills,  though  civilization  has  almost 
entirely  caused  the  disappearance  of  this  animal." 

"Lions!"  exclaimed  Mrs.  Parlot,  whom  Mr.  Cres- 
cent load  supposed  out  of  hearing.  "O,  Lloyd!  you 
must  not  go  off  from  us!  I  had  no};  the  slightest  idea 
of  such  a  thing!  Stay,  all  of  you,  close  behind  us, 
and  if  any  one  of  us  spies  anything  in  the  least  dan- 


A   CHRISTIAN   OPTIMIST.  145 

gerous  or  suspicious,  let  him  at  once  notify  the  others, 
and  we  shall  take  refuge  in  the  omnibus! " 

It  was  impossible  for  Mr.  Crescent  to  resist  a  hearty 
laugh;  and  even  Mr.  Ernest  condescended  to  a  broad 
smile. 

"Pardon  me,  my  dear  madame,"  the  former  gentle- 
man hastened  to  say;  ."there  is  absolutely  no  danger. 
I  was  more  in  joke  than  anything  else.  One  child, 
wandering  alone,  might  possibly  be  attacked,  should 
the  lion  be  very  hungry;  but  three  would  send  him 
into  a  panic  of  fear.  They  are  small,  and  not  at  all 
fierce,  as  a  general  thing;  besides,  there  is  barely  one 
chance  in  a  huudred  of  there  being  any  lurking  around 
in  these  regions." 

But  Mrs.  Parlot  still  looked  uneasy,  and  Lloyd,  who 
with  the  girls  had  been  awaiting  the  conclusion  of 
their  elders,  now  said:  "Very  well,  mother;  I  promise 
you  we  will  not  go  out  of  sight  of  the  party,  or  of 
some  one  of  them."  Which  entirely  satisfied  Mrs. 
Parlot,  and  off  they  went. 

"That  was  good  of  you,"  said  Edna,  as  they  saun- 
tered along. 

"Not  at  all,  Miss  Edna;  I  certainly  do  not  consider 
myself  too  old  to  obey  my  mother." 

"O,  of  course  not!  But  she  did  not  absolutely  for- 
bid your  going." 

T"No,  but  it  would  have  made  her  unhappy  and 
spoiled  her  pleasure;  ancl  I  have  no  right  to  vex  my 
mother  in  any  way  that  can  possibly  be  prevented." 

"You  are  right  indeed,"  said  Edna,  warmly.     And 
Gabrielle  admired  him  more  than  ever. 
10 


146  A   BUSINESS   VENTURE;    OR, 

"I/ook  at  that  clump  of  orange  poppies  !"  exclaimed 
Edna. 

"L,et  us  pick  plenty  of  them.  Your  mother  is  go- 
ing to  show  us  how  to  press  them,  I^loyd. ' ' 

1  'Yes,  and  she  said  we  were  to  bring  them  to  her  as 
soon  we  had  gathered  a  reasonable  quantity,  as  it  was 
best  to  press  them  before  they  began  to  wilt.  We  can 
then  return  for  more. ' ' 

Meantime,  their  elders  were  sauntering  about  ac- 
cording to  their  fancy.  Eudora,  who  had  not  noticed 
the  departure  of  the  younger  ones,  now  saw  them  at  a 
short  distance,  and  concluded  to  join  them.  Mr. 
Ernest,  who  thought  it  only  right  that  he  should  see 
after  his  daughter,  begged  leave  to  accompany  her  ; 
while  Mrs.  Parlot,  Gladys  and  Mr.  Crescent  wandered 
off  in  a  different  direction.  The  butler,  meanwhile, 
busied  himself  in  arranging  their  table  under  the  shade 
of  a  large  sycamore  tree. 

"Now,  ladies,"  said  Mr.  Crescent,  "I  propose  our 
going  down  to  that  last  creek  we  passed,  so  as  to  fill 
this  canteen  with  water  for  our  lunch.  Mr.  Ernest 
says  James  is  a  first-class  lemonade  maker,  so  we  must 
provide  him  with  one  of  the  chief  ingredients.  He  has 
his  hands  full  as  it  is ;  and  I  have  no  doubt  by  the 
time  our  repast  is  ready  we  shall  be  ready  for  it. ' ' 

A  five  minutes'  walk  brought  them  to  the  shady, 
rippling,  pebbly  little  creek — "more  of  a  rivulet  than 
a  creek,"  remarked  Mr.  Crescent;  "but  the  smallest 
stream  here  is  called  a  creek — at  least,  so  it  seems 
to  me." 

"Here  are  some  of  those  delightful  water-cresses," 


A  CHRISTIAN  OPTIMIST.  147 

said  Mrs.  Parlot.  "They  shall  be  my  contribution  to 
the  luncheon. ' ' 

Shortly  returning,  and  leaving  their  burden  with 
James,  they  wandered  about  gathering  the  wild 
flowers,  of  some  of  which  there  was  an  abundance, 
while  others  were  so  rare  that  they  were  seized  upon 
as  treasures  when  discovered. 

Soon  the  young  party  returned,  bearing  goodly 
branches  of  blossoms. 

"Now,  we  can  all  sit  under  this  tree,"  said  Mrs. 
Parlot,  when  both  parties  met,  "and  I  shall  initiate 
you  into  the  mysteries  of  flower-pressing." 

Opening  a  large  atlas  she  had  brought  with  her,  she 
took  from  it  numerous  thin  sheets  of  cotton  batting. 
These  she  distributed  among  the  party,  directing 
them  to  split  them  carefully  in  two.  Then  taking  the 
flowers  one  by  one  she  laid  them  face  downward, 
sometimes  with  a  few  leaves  attached,  on  the  fluffy 
part  of  the  wadding  ;  then  laid  the  other  piece  of 
cotton  over  them  when  one  sheet  was  filled. 

"Each  petal  and  leaf  must  be  perfectly  smooth," 
she  said,  ''or  they  will  not  look  well  when  dry." 

Then  she  laid  the  sheet  between  the  leaves  of  the 
atlas,  and  proceeded  to  fill  the  others  in  the  same  man- 
ner. It  was  easy  now  for  the  learners  to  help  ;  and 
by  the  time  they  were  summoned  to  luncheon  nearly 
two  dozen  sheets  were  completed  and  tucked  away 
safely  in  the  atlas. 

"As  soon  as  you  return  home,"  said  Mrs.  Parlot, 
"you  must  put  a  heavy  weight  over  the  whole,  and 
leave  them  for  several  days  without  disturbing.  The 
cotton  absorbs  the  moisture,  and  they  retain  their 


148  A   BUSINESS   VENTURE;    OR, 

color — with  certain  exceptions — these  orange  poppies, 
for  example.  I  have  never  been  able  to  preserve  their 
color  beyond  a  very  brief  period.  No  matter  how 
carefully  I  have  pressed  them,  shortly  after  being  ex- 
posed to  the  light  they  begin  to  show  white  streaks  in 
places,  and  finally  are  apt  to  fade  almost  completely 
away.  These  lovely  little  blue  flowers — Baby-eyes 
they  are  often  called — look  well  if  very  carefully 
pressed  as  soon  as  gathered;  but  these  small  lilac  ones 
—I  see  we  have  three  varieties — do  the  best  of  all, 
looking  like  satin  when  taken  from  the  cotton. ' ' 

"If  we  should  come  here  a  week  or  too  later,"  said 
Mr.  Crescent,  '  'we  should  find  other  varieties  of  wild 
flowers.  And  this  would  be  the  case  through  the  en- 
tire spring,  though  I  am  told  that  just  now  gives  us, 
upon  the  whole,  the  best  selection  for  pressing.  But 
now,  ladies" — rising  and  bowing — "allow  me  to  escort 
you  to  the  tree  beneath  whose  spreading  canopy  our 
sylvan  repast  is  served. ' ' 

All  laughed  as  they  gladly  obeyed  the  summons,  for 
their  early  breakfast  and  long  drive  in  the  bracing  air 
had  well  prepared  them  to  do  justice  to  the  feast. 
The  water-cresses  were  pronounced  excellent;  also  the 
lemonade;  while  the  fried  chicken,  tongue,  ham,  with 
numerous  et  ceteras,  were  more  than  delicious  to  their 
keen  appetites. 

While  thus  busily  engaged,  Gabrielle,  happening  to 
glance  up  at  a  branch  above  her  head,  uttered  an  excla- 
mation. 

"Such  a  queer-looking  thing  hanging  from  that 
twig,"  she  said,  pointing  to  the  object.  "It  looks 
like  a  long  thimble,  and — yes,  it  is  really  moving. ' '. 


A    CHRISTIAN    OPTIMIST.  149 

Mr.  Ernest  rose  from  his  lowly  position,  and  drew 
the  branch  within  range  of  his  eyes. 

"A  humming-bird's  nest,"  he  announced,  "contain- 
ing three  young  birds,  so  small  that  I  fear  injuring 
them  if  I  attempt  to  take  them  out  for  your  inspection. 
Ah!  here  comes  the  mother,"  as  a  buzzing,  fussy  little, 
creature  fluttered  about,  in  evidently  deep  anxiety. 
"There  are  your  babies,  all  safe,"  he  continued,  as  he 
reseated  himself,  while  the  relieved  mite  settled  her- 
self, happily,  though  still  flutteringly,  on  top  of  the 
wee  nest. 

"O,  I  wish  I  could  see  the  little  birds,  papa,"  said 
Gabrielle. 

"Wait  until  the  mother  goes  off  again,  daughter; 
then  I  shall  lift  you  up  to  look  at  them — that  is,  if  she 
should  go  off  at  all  while  we  are  here,  which  I  much 
doubt.  But  we  must  not  disturb  her  now. ' ' 

"She  makes  her  nest  from  the  fuzzy  underpart  of 
the  sycamore  leaf,"  said  Mr.  Crescent.  "Once,  when 
I  was  in  this  very  canon,  I  noticed,  a  short  distance 
off,  a  nest  where  a  decided  commotion  seemed  to  be 
going  on.  Approaching,  I  was  surprised  to  see  a 
number  of  immense  black  ants  dragging  the  little 
birds  out  of  the  nest.  They  had  succeeded  in  getting 
one  of  them  over  the  edge  and  I  was  just  about  to 
rescue  it,  when  the  mother  or  father  bird  darted  upon 
the  scene,  and  actually  speedily  put  the  enemy  to  rout; 
then  carefully  pushed  the  little  ones  safely  back  into 
the  nest.  If  I  had  not  actually  witnessed  the  scene,  I 
should  hardly  have  believed  it  possible." 


150  A   BUSINESS    VENTURE;    OR, 


CHAPTER    XVI. 

It  was  not  without  grave  misgivings  that  Mrs.  Par- 
lot  had  consented  to  seat  herself  upon  the  grass — or 
rather,  upon  the  omnibus  cushions — which,  neverthe- 
less, did  not  prevent  her  feet  from  nestling  amid  the  un- 
known dangers  of  canon  herbage.  She  had,  however, 
partly  forgotten  her  uneasiness  in  the  diversions  of  the 
social  feast,  when  suddenly,  a  loud  scream  startled 
everybody,  as  she  sprang  to  her  feet,  upsetting  not 
only  her  cup  of  coffee,  but  numerous  other  things 
besides. 

"A  snake!"  she  cried  out,  as  she  rushed  away,  fol- 
lowed by  every  one  of  the  ladies  as  fast  as  they  could 
scramble  to  their  feet — not  excepting,  alas,  our  brave 
Eudora!  The  gentlemen  stood  upon  the  defensive, 
having  no  weapons  of  attack,  while  the  butler,  mur- 
muring something  about  getting  the  omnibus  whip, 
ran  precipitately  in  that  direction — the  ladies  had 
taken  the  opposite  course. 

"What's  up?"  drawled  the  driver,  as  the  man  ap- 
proached breathless. 

"A  snake!"  panted  James.  "A  rattle-snake!  Give 
me  the  whip  and  come  along. ' ' 

"Snakes  nothin' !  " — in  a  tone  of  absolute  contempt. 
"There  ain't  one  hereabouts.  And  'twould  n't  hurt 
you  if  there  was. ' ' 

Then  muttering  something  about  tenderfoots,  he 
followed  James,  who  had  waxed  very  valiant  as  he 


A   CHRISTIAN   OPTIMIST.  151 

shrewdly  surmised  that  by  this  time  his  snakeship  had 
either  been  killed,  or  had  escaped. 

They  found  the  gentlemen  laughing  heartily,  and 
Lloyd  starting  off  in  pursuit  of  the  ladies,  to  bring 
them  back  with  assurances  of  safety.  A  peculiar- 
looking  branch  from  the  tree  above  had  fallen,  being 
partially  concealed  in  the  thick  grass.  It  was  of  a 
gray  mottled  color,  and  shaped  in  such  a  manner  as 
really  to  resemble  a  snake — at  least  to  uninitiated 
eyes. 

"Allow  me  to  introduce  to  you  his  snakeship,"  said 
Mr.  Crescent,  with  the  utmost,  gravity,  though  with 
twinkling  eyes.  And  he  held  out  the  branch  on  the 
tip  of  the  driver's  whip.  Mrs.  Parlot  could  scarcely 
restrain  another  shriek. 

"It  looks  exactly  like  one,"  she  said,  still  tremu- 
lously, though  forced  to  laugh.  "Even  you  must 
acknowledge  that,  Mr.  Crescent." 

"It  certainly  does,  Mrs.  Parlot.  I  do  not  in  the 
least  wonder  at  your  alarm.  But  now,  ladies,  you  may 
safely  resume  your  seats.  We  have  made  a  thorough 
examination  of  the  surrounding  grounds,  and  can  as- 
sure you  that  no  shadow  of  suspicion  lurks  in  any 
part." 

But  Mrs.  Parlot,  declaring  that  she  had  finished  her 
repast,  begged  to  be  excused,  while  she  retired  to  the 
omnibus  to  arrange  some  more  flowers  in  the  remain- 
ing sheets  of  wadding.  She  was  therefore  excused, 
while  the  others  lingered  awhile  under  the  shadowing 
tree,  listening  to  incidents  of  canon  life,  told  by  Mr. 
Crescent  in  a  most  fascinating  manner. 

Strange  to  say,  none  noticed  that  Gabrielle  was  not 


152  A   BUSINESS   VENTURE;    OR, 

among  them — or  if  her  father  did,  he  supposed  she 
was  safe  in  the  omnibus  with  Mrs.  Parlot.  Sud- 
denly Edna  exclaimed,  "Why,  where  is  Gabrielle?" 

All  looked  startled,  but  Mr.  Ernest  quickly  replied: 
"In  the  omnibus  with  Mrs.  Parlot,  I  presume." 

"Indeed  she  is  not,"  said  Lloyd,  now  starting  up. 
"I  can  see  through  the  trees  that  mother  is  alone 
there." 

"Perhaps  Gabrielle  maybe  lying  down  on  the  seat," 
suggested  Gladys — and  then  she  turned  pale,  as  it 
suddenly  occurred  to  her  that  she  had  no  recollection 
of  Gabrielle  being  with  them  as  they  returned  with 
Lloyd. 

Mr.  Ernest  started  at  once  for  the  omnibus,  followed 
by  the  whole  party.  Gabrielle  was  not  there!  Mrs. 
Parlot,  as  did  Gladys  and  Eudora,  remorsefully  won- 
dered at  their  blindness  in  not  perceiving  sooner  the 
child's  absence.  But  there  was  no  time  for  regret — 
immediate  action  was  necessary.  Mr.  Ernest  had  at 
once  started  off  alone  towards  the  place  where  they 
had  all  run  together — that  being,  he  thought,  the  most 
likely  direction  for  her  to  have  taken.  Mr.  Crescent, 
Mrs.  Parlot  and  Gladys  went  in  another  direction,  and 
Eudora,  Edna  and  Lloyd  in  still  another.  James  and 
the  driver,  having  private  views  of  their  own,  went 
up  the  mountains,  armed  with  whatever  improvised 
weapons  they  could  lay  hands  on. 

"For  faint  no  use  skeering  them  worse  than  they 
be  skeered,"  said  the  driver,  as  they  began  the  ascent. 
"But  only  a  month  ago,  a  boy  was  crossin'  this  here 
very  hill,  takin'  a  short  cut  to  school"- 


A   CHRISTIAN   OPTIMIST.  153 

' 'School?"  echoed  James.  There  surely  ain't  any 
schools  in  this  desert  place!" 

"There's  schools  hereabouts  when  there  ain't  one 
cabin  nearer  than  a  mile  from  another  cabin — children 
walks  five  and  six  miles  many  a  time  back  and  fro — 
fur  the  law,  right  or  wrong,  makes  'em  go  to  school. 
But,  anyhow,  as  I  was  sayin',  the  boy  started  out  to 
cross  the  mountain,  but  he  didn't  come  home  at  eve- 
nin'.  When  they  went  to  hunt  him  up" — he  paused, 
dramatically,  and  looked  at  James,  who,  in  his  turn, 
stopped  short  in  his  walk,  and  looked  aghast  at  the 
driver. 

"When  they  went  to  hunt  up  that  boy,  they  found — 
nothiu'  but  his  boots — the  same,  maybe,  not  agreein' 
with  the  lion's  digestion.  Come  on,  man!  What  are 
you  standin'  there  for?  We'd  ought  to  be  far  on  our 
way  by  this  time. ' ' 

"We've  got  no  guns,  nor  yet  pistols,"  answered 
James,  tremulously;  "and  what  good  will  them  sticks 
do  against  a  lion?  Tell  me  that,  will  you?" 

"Ye'd  ought  to  be  tooken  a  stick  to  yourself,"  re- 
plied the  man,  contemptuously,  and  hurrying  on. 
"Go  back,  ef  you're  so  afeard,  an'  climb  into  the 
'bus,  an'  shut  the  door,  an'  git  under  the  seat,  and 
stay  there  till  the  folks  gits  back  to  purtect  ye. ' ' 

But  James  had  concluded  to  follow,  not  relishing 
the  contempt  of  his  companion,  who,  after  awhile, 
condescended  to  explain  the  great  unlikelihood  of  their 
meeting  a  lion,  and  in  the  event  of  such  an  encounter, 
the  great  probability  of  the  lion  being  more  afraid  of 
the  men  than  the  men  of  the  lion. 

Meantime,  Mr.  Ernest  had  been  running  first  in  one 


154  A   BUSINESS   VENTURE;    OR, 

direction,  then  in  another,  calling  his  child's  name  at 
intervals,  but  without  success. 

"Miss  Eudora,"  said  Lloyd,  as  they  walked  along, 
"what  do  you  think  can  have  become  of  Gabrielle? 
She  disappeared  so  suddenly." 

"I  don't  know,  indeed,  Lloyd.  But  I  think  she 
will  soon  be  found." 

She  stopped  short  for  an  instant,  then  turned  and 
went  straight  towards  a  thick  row  of  trees,  not  far 
from  them — so  near,  in  fact,  that  no  one  had  thought 
of  looking  there.  Edna  and  Lloyd  followed.  As  they 
pushed  their  way  through  a  slight  opening  in  the 
brushwood  surrounding  the  trees,  there,  to  their  great 
joy,  they  saw  beyond,  and  not  a  hundred  yards  from 
them,  poor  little  Gabrielle,  seated  on  a  large  stone, 
and  crying  as  though  her  heart  would  break.  They 
hastened  to  her,  and  she  sprang  up  with  a  cry  of  joy 
as  they  called  her  name. 

"O,  Lloyd!  O,  Miss  Eudora!  how  glad  I  am!  O, 
how  glad  I  am!"  And  now  her  sobs  became  almost 
hysterical. 

"Dear  child,"  said  Eudora,  soothingly.  "We  are 
also  very  happy  and  thankful.  Do  please,  Lloyd,  run 
as  fast  as  possible  after  Mr.  Ernest.  He  went  in  the 
direction  of  the  creek.  And  when  you  have  found 
him,  you  two  can  hunt  up  the  rest  of  the  party — per- 
haps if  you  shout  as  you  go  along  they  will  hear 
you." 

"Indeed  they  won't,"  said  Edna,  as  Lloyd  ran  off, 
hastily.  "If  Gabrielle  could  not  hear  us,  and  she  so 
near,  it  is  not  likely  they  will,  with  the  wind  blowing 
harder  every  moment." 


A   CHRISTIAN   OPTIMIST.  155 

As  Hudora  and  Edna  led  Gabrielle  back  to  their  en- 
campment, the  little  girl  told,  through  her  sobs,  how, 
when  they  all  turned  to  go  back,  she  thought  she 
would  slip  away  to  the  creek,  which  was  only  a 
short  distance  off,  and  get  herself  a  drink,  as  she  was 
very  thirsty.  Then,  in  trying  to  return,  she  had  gone 
too  far  to  one  side,  she  supposed,  and  the  thicket  must 
have  hid  the  party  from  her.  She  had  no  idea  she 
was  anywhere  near  them,  she  said,  but  thinking  she 
was  entirely  lost,  had  given  up  in  despair,  and  had  sat 
down  on  the  rock  to  cry. 

"But,  Miss  Eudora,"  she  almost  whispered,  "just 
before  you  came,  I  remembered  what  you  had  told  me 
about  saying  a  little  prayer  when  we  got  into  any 
trouble,  and  I  said:  'Please  let  them  find  me,  and  I 
won't  disobey  again.'  ' 

"How  did  you  disobey,  dear?" 

"Why,  you  know,  before  we  left  home,  papa  had 
told  me  I  must  not,  on  any  account,  go  wandering 
off  by  myself.  And  I  remembered  it,  too — but  I 
thought  it  was  only  a  few  steps,  and  I  was  so  thirsty; 
and  I  said  to  myself  it  wouldn't  matter.  But  all  the 
time  I  knew  I  was  wrong — I  just  wanted  to  do  it, 
you  see." 

"Well,  dear,  this  will  be  a  lesson  for  the  future — 
that  it  is  never  safe  to  do  wrong.  I  am  sure  you  will 
remember  it  all  your  life.  And  now  we  will  be  happy 
again,  and  thank  our  dear  L,ord  that  he  answered  our 
prayer. ' ' 

"Why,  did  you  pray,  too,  Miss  Eudora?" 

"Indeed  I  did,  Gabrielle.  I  asked  Him  to  tell  me 
which  way  to  go — then  those  trees  came  right  into  my 


156  A  BUSINESS  VENTURE;   OR, 

head.  And  now,  dear,  here  we  are.  You  can  lie 
down  on  the  omnibus  cushion  with  this  shawl  for  a 
pillow,  and  Edna  will  stay  with  you  while  I  help 
Lloyd  in  searching  for  the  other  lost  people. ' ' 

At  this  moment,  she  saw  Mr.  Ernest  coming  hastily 
towards  them,  followed  by  Lloyd,  and  Eudora  saw  the 
tears  in  the  father's  eyes  as  he  took  his  recovered 
treasure  in  his  arms. 

'  Tlease,  papa,"  she  meekly  said,  "please  forgive  me, 
and  I  won't  do  it  again." 

"We  shall  say  no  more  about  it,  little  daughter — 
certainly  papa  forgives  his  little  girl.  And  we  must 
both  thank  Miss  Eudora  for  her  kind  interest  in  search- 
ing for  my  little  truant — and  for  finding  her. ' ' 

He  gave  her  a  look  of  gratitude,  which  softened 
his  dark  eyes,  taking  all  the  sternness  from  them — a 
look  which,  had  it  been  directed  to  Edna,  would  have 
charmed  her,  but  was  scarcely  noticed  by  Eudora. 

Uoyd,  who  had  started  in  search  of  the  others,  now 
returned,  saying  that  he  had  hailed  them  and  that 
they  were  coming.  Soon  all  were  together  again,  and 
great  of  course  were  the  congratulations,  while  ques- 
tions and  answers  were  freely  poured  forth. 

Five  minutes  passed  in  this  manner.  Suddenly  Mr. 
Crescent  said:  "Indies,  I  am  sorry  to  disturb  you, 
but  I  think  we  had  best  at  once  make  preparations  for 
departure.  The  wind  is  rising  rapidly,  and  is  more 
likely  to  increase  than  otherwise,  as  it  appears  to  be 
what  they  call  in  these  regions  a  Santa  Ana  wind,  from 
the  fact  of  its  coming  over  the  Santa  Ana  valley.  It 
blows  steadily  in  the  one  direction — see  how  the  trees 
all  bend  over  that  way.  It  is  apt  to  affect  people  in 


A   CHRISTIAN   OPTIMIST.  157 

the  way  of  headache,  or — nervousness" — giving  a 
mischievous  glance  at  Mrs.  Parlot,  who  laughed,  yet 
flushed  a  little,  too.  "And,  perhaps,"  continued  Mr. 
Crescent,  with  another  mischievous  look  at  Gabrielle, 
"it  may  have  had  the  effect  of  confusing  one  little 
girl's  perceptions,  so  that  she  imagined  she  was  re- 
turning with  her  party,  while  she  was  walking  away 
in  an  opposite  direction." 

But  at  this  point  tears  filled  Gabrielle' s  eyes,  and  he 
came  to  an  abrupt  pause. 

"Where  is  James?"  asked  Mr.  Ernest,  looking 
around. 

"Both  men  went  up  the  mountains,"  replied  Mr. 
Crescent,  "armed  with  all  they  could  lay  hands  on  in 
the  shape  of  sticks  and  stones,  to  do  battle  with  the 
lions  which  they  were  sure  were  lurking  about  in 
readiness  to  devour  unlucky  mortals  who  might  chance 
to  fall  in  their  way. ' ' 

At  which  remark  Mr.  Ernest  turned  pale,  and  Mr. 
Crescent,  feeling  that  with  the  laudable  intention  of 
raising  the  spirits  of  the  party  he  had  only  succeeded 
in  making  three  people  uncomfortable,  concluded  that 
silence  was  golden,  and  started  off  towards  the  hills, 
with  the  hope  of  sighting  the  men.  Lloyd  followed, 
with  some  vague  hope  of  really  encountering  a  live 
lion. 

"Do  not  try  to  go  in  search  of  them,  Mr.  Crescent," 
called  Mr.  Ernest  after  him.  "You  would  probably 
miss  them,  and  they  are  sure  to  return  before  long. 
The  rascals  had  not  any  business  to  go  at  all — all  they 
wanted  was  fun.  They  knew  it  was  impossible  for 
Gabrielle  to  have  gone  in  that  direction  without  being 


158  A   BUSINESS   VENTURE;    OR, 

seen  by  some  one  of  us  at  least.  However,  we  must 
just  wait  as  patiently  as  may  be;  there  is  no  use  in 
tiring  yourself  out,  Mr.  Crescent. ' ' 

"We  shall  only  walk  up  to  the  top  of  that  hill  and 
shout,"  said  Mr.  Crescent.  "They  may  hear  us,  or 
we  may  see  them.  It  won't  do  to  wait  long,  as  the 
wind  is  rapidly  rising  and  it  is  growing  late. ' ' 

So  saying,  he  and  L,loyd  proceeded  on  their  way, 
while  the  others  seated  themselves,  the  ladies  in  the 
omnibus  out  of  the  wind,  while  Mr.  Ernest  went  over 
and  looked  with  anxious  eyes  at  the  horses,  who  were 
snorting  at  intervals,  and  showing  signs  of  restless- 
ness. 

Presently  the  two  men  appeared,  coming  hastily 
down  the  mountain,  but  in  a  different  direction  from 
that  in  which  Mr.  Crescent  and  IJoyd  had  gone. 
And  at  the  same  instant,  the  two  latter,  who  had 
caught  sight  of  the  men,  came  down  almost  on  a  run, 
the  wind  assisting  their  progress. 

"Harness  up  as  quickly  as  possible,"  said  Mr. 
Krnest  to  the  driver.  "We  are  altogether  too  late 
now,  and  I  fear  the  wind  is  increasing." 

"Yes,  sir"  replied  the  man.  "It's  goin'  to  be  on 
a  tare,  an'  the  horses' 11  be  jollier  than  ever." 

With  which  comforting  remark,  he  proceeded  to 
his  business,  and  soon  the  party  were  started  on  their 
journey  home. 

The  driver's  prophecy  was  a  mild  one  as  compared 
with  the  facts.  It  seemed  as  if  wind  and  horses  were 
running  a  race.  There  was  surely  now,  if  ever,  an 
excuse  for  feeling  nervous,  as  the  animals  ran  through 
the  creeks,  splashing  the  water  even  up  to  the  omnibus 


A   CHRISTIAN   OPTIMIST.  159 

windows — on  through  the  woods  crashing  dried 
branches  beneath  their  feet,  sometimes  jolting  up 
against  a  stump — out  of  the  woods  into  a  narrow,  dusty 
road,  where  rabbit,  squirrel  or  gopher  holes  right  in 
the  very  middle  of  the  path  made  apparently  immi- 
nent the  risk  of  breaking  the  horses'  legs — down  a 
steep  hill  with  a  precipice  on  one  side — up  another  hill 
without  cessation  of  speed — on,  on — until  it  surely 
seemed  as  if  the  animals  must  drop  down  from  sheer 
exhaustion.  A  heavily-laden  wagon  in  front  of  them 
forced  their  driver  to  exert  his  strength  and  bring  the 
horses  to  a  stand-still,  though  chafing  and  pawing  at 
the  restraint.  Mr.  Ernest  took  the  opportunity  to  re- 
monstrate. 

"Now,  look  here,  driver,  if  you  can  come  to  a  stop 
in  that  way,  surely  you  can  keep  from  going  at  such 
a  headlong,  not  to  say,  break-neck  speed." 

The  man  grinned. 

"'Taint  no  use,  boss.  It's  a  heap  easier  to  stop 
'em  short  than  to  keep  'em  slow-like  onct  they're 
started.  It's  the  Injun  blood  in  'em.  There  aint  no 
danger,  boss.  This  here's  too  heavy  a  load  for  the 
wind  to  lift  up  and  turn  over,  as  it  might  ef  'twas 
lighter.  Lots  of  buggies  has  been  done  that  way  in 
a  Santa  Aner — and  onct  a  waggon  to  my  certint 
knowledge — but  there  aint  no  danger  here. ' ' 

Then  off  they  were  again,  headlong  as  ever. 

"Say  coachy,"  jerked  out  James  through  the  jolts, 
'  'do  you  know  what  them  horses  reminds  me  of  ?' ' 

"Wai,  I  don't.  Not  being  a  magician — nor  yet  a 
cleer-voyant. ' ' 

"Well,  you  said  it  was  easier  to  stop  them  all  at 


l6o  A   BUSINESS  VENTURE  ;    OR, 

once  than  to  keep  them  goin'  at  a  moderate  pace, 
didn't  you  ?  " 

"That's  right,  me  boy.  That  there's  the  very  in- 
cidental remark  I  let  fall." 

"Well,  then,  that  reminds  me  of  the  drink.  It's 
easier  to  stop  short  all  to  once  than  to  keep  goin'  at  a 
moderate  pace." 

Then  both  subsided  into  silence  as  wind  and  jolts 
made  conversation  a  rather  difficult  matter.  Inside 
all  was  quiet  too.  Gabrielle  and  L,loyd  really  enjoyed 
the  adventure — the  wild  pace — the  roar  of  the  wind — 
the  simultaneous  bowing  of  the  tall  trees  in  the  one 
direction — the  mad  chase  of  the  nimble  weeds  growing 
by  the  roadside,  broken  off  by  the  wind  and  tumbling 
over  and  over,  one  after  the  other,  until  often  they 
alighted  in  a  creek,  and  sailed  gleefully  down  the 
stream — all  this  was  nothing  but  fun  to  the  inex- 
perience which  recognized  no  danger  in  anything. 
Gladys  also  rather  enjoyed  it — it  took  her  so  com- 
pletely from  herself,  and  the  thoughts  which  at  other 
times  would  intrude,  and  would  not  be  denied  admit- 
tance. Bdna  was  divided  between  fear  and  pleasure. 
Eudora,  naturally  timid,  would  have  been  glad  to  find 
herself  at  home  again.  But  her  panacea  was  always  at 
hand,  and  she  was  calm.  Mr.  Crescent  felt  a  little 
anxiety  for  the  safety  of  the  party  in  his  charge — as 
to  himself  he  was  indifferent.  Mrs.  Parlot  and  Mr. 
Ernest  were  the  only  ones  who  were  really  frightened  ; 
the  former  making  no  secret  of  her  fears  ;  the  latter's 
efforts  to  appear  unmoved  being  successful  as  far  as 
most  of  the  party  were  concerned. 

But  nothing  lasts  forever  ;  even  this  risky  ride  must 


A   CHRISTIAN   OPTIMIST.  l6l 

come  to  an  end,  and  finally  the  horses  came  to  a  stand, 
panting  and  covered  with  foam,  in  front  of  the  depot 
from  which  they  had  started. 

"Too  late  for  the  5:10  train,"  said  Mr.  Crescent, 
as  after  paying  and  dismissing  the  driver  he  made  a 
hasty  inquiry  at  the  office  window.  "Next  train  is 
not  due  until  6:20.  Pleasant  news,  isn't  it,  for  you  poor 
tired  ladies?  But  it  gives  you  another  opportunity 
for  exercising  the  proverbial  patience  of  your  sex." 

It  was  not  pleasant  news — the  thought  of  waiting 
for  an  hour  in  that  bare  waiting-room — tired  as  they 
really  were  from  the  excitement  of  the  past  few 
hours. 

'  'I  just  think  it's  too  bad  !  "  said  Edna  in  a  low  voice 
to  Eudora,  who  was  seated  beside  her.  "And  we 
only  missed  the  train  by  three  minutes  !  Isn't  it  too 
vexatious  for  anything?  " 

"O,  I  don't  think  so,"  replied  Eudora,  smilingly. 
"We  are  not  responsible  for  the  delay,  since  we  could 
not  have  managed  it  otherwise." 

'  'Why,  yes,  we  could,  Eudora.  If  we  had  only  started 
five  minutes  earlier,  which  we  could  easily  have  done." 

"If  we  had  known  we  were  going  to  be  three  minutes 
late  we  could — but  you  see  we  did  not  know,  little 
sister.  I  am  learning  to  give  up  these  'ifs,'  and  am 
ever  so  much  happier  in  consequence.  Just  try  it,  and 
see  what  difference  it  makes." 

Just  then  Mr.  Ernest  seated  himself  on  Edna's 
other  side,  and  addressing  his  conversation  chiefly  to 
her  for  a  large  part  of  the  waiting  hour,  she  was  more 
than  content,  and  decided  in  her  own  mind  that 
Eudora  was  quite  right. 


1 62  A   BUSINESS   VENTURE;    OR, 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

The  following  afternoon,  Tony  arrived  at  the  class 
with  tear-stained  cheeks,  and  without  the  baby.  '  'The 
little  chap's  awful  sick,"  he  explained  in  answer  to 
Eudora's  inquiries.  "I  wouldn't  a  left  him,  only 
mother's  not  drunk  to-day,  an'  she's  takin'  care  of 
him — pop's  there  too.  He's  awful  sick,  he  is."  And 
the  child  wiped  away  the  tears  with  his  jacket  sleeve, 
a  whole  clean  jacket  now,  for  Eudora,  with  Mrs.  War- 
ringsford's  help,  had  procured  him  decent  clothing. 
'Mely  was  also  provided  for,  and  very  differently  did 
the  two  children  look  from  the  first  day' of  Tony's  ap- 
pearance in  the  store.  Self-respect  was  awakened, 
bad  language  was  on  the  decline,  and  altogether, 
Eudora  felt  encouraged.  Tony's  friend,  Jim,  likewise 
showed  signs  of  improvement,  though  not  to  the  same 
extent. 

The  class  now  numbered  about  a  dozen;  the  attend- 
ance varying  according  to  the  attraction  or  non-attrac- 
tion of  outside  matters.  Once  a  rat-fight  carried  off 
the  whole  school,  with  the  exception  of  Tony,  who 
longed  ardently  to  go,  but  feeling  that  to  do  so  would 
be  an  act  of  disloyalty  to  his  dear  teacher — though  of 
course  he  did  not  put  it  that  way — valiantly  fought  the 
battle  with  himself,  and  arrived  at  the  appointed  time 
with  'Mely  and  the  baby,  Eudora  never  suspecting 
that  the  boy  had  done  as  valiant  a  deed  that  day 
as  many  a  hero  who  fights  his  country's  battles. 

"Gladys,"  said  Eudora,  going  to  her  sister  in  the 


A   CHRISTAIN   OPTIMIST.  163 

sitting-room,  "Tony  says  the  baby  is  very  sick. 
Would  you  not  like  to  go  over  and  see  about  it? 
They  will  probably  be  in  need  of  assistance  or  food." 

"I  will  go,"  said  Gladys,  shortly;  and  in  a  few  min- 
utes departed.  It  was  not  the  first  time  she  had  gone 
to  that  miserable  home.  She  was  becoming  really  in- 
terested in  the  baby,  and  took  pleasure  in  making  him 
some  little  article  of  dress,  which  she  would  herself 
carry  over,  and  put  on  him. 

If  any  one  thing  more  than  another  could  have 
marked  the  change  which  had  come  over  Gladys,  it 
was  her  willingness  to  enter  such  an  abode,  and  to 
witness  its  misery.  Her  fastidiousness  had  always 
hitherto  declined  such  errands.  Even  when  their 
governess,  who  was  a  kind-hearted,  conscientious 
woman,  occasionally  took  the  other  girls  to  distribute 
with  their  own  hands  the  garments  they  had  made  or 
mended  for  the  poor,  she  could  never  induce  Gladys 
to  accompany  them.  Now  it  seemed  a  relief  to  her 
own  distress  to  endeavor  to  minister  to  the  distress 
of  others,  and  many  a  time  had  she  carried  some 
left-over  provisions  to  the  poor  children,  who  sadly 
needed  them. 

She  found  the  baby  lying  on  an  old  mattress  cover- 
ing the  rickety  four-posted  bed,  which  served  as  the 
resting-place  for  the  entire  family.  The  mother  was 
rocking  herself  back  and  forth,  crying  over  the  little 
form  out  of  which  the  life  had  nearly  departed.  The 
father  sat  a  short  distance  off,  looking  half  stupefied, 
and  as  if  hardly  conscious  of  what  was  going  on. 

"Have  you  had  the  doctor?  "  asked  Gladys. 


164  A   BUSINESS   VENTURE  ;    OR, 

'  'O,  yes,  miss,  but  he  says  it 's  no  use — he  couldn't  do 
nothin'.  " 

A  fresh  burst  of  sobs  roused  the  man  to  such  an  ex- 
tent that  he  got  up,  walked  unsteadily  over  to  the  bed, 
gave  the  child  a  stupid  stare,  then  meandered  back 
again,  and  seemed  at  once  to  fall  asleep,  his  head  sunk 
on  his  breast.  Gladys  had  brought  some  hastily  pre- 
pared nourishment  for  the  child  ;  but  even  her  inex- 
perienced eyes  saw  the  uselessness  of  attempting  to 
administer  it. 

'  'Tony  ought  to  be  here, ' '  she  said.  '  'I  shall  go  and 
bring  the  children  over."  She  also  wished  to  consult 
with  Eudora  as  to  what  was  best  to  be  done  under  the 
circumstances. 

Upon  hearing  Gladys'  report,  Kudora  at  once  dis- 
missed her  class,  and  accompanied  her  sister  back, 
followed  by  the  children.  As  they  entered,  a  loud 
burst  of  grief  told  the  sad  story.  The  last  breath  had 
just  left  the  little  body,  and  the  little  spirit  had  gone 
happily  home  to  God. 

Tony  ran  over  to  the  bed,  and  snatched  the  tiny 
form  in  his  arms.  But  when  the  marble  flesh  touched 
his, and  he  saw  the  glazed  eyes  and  falling  jaw,  he  felt 
instinctively,  though  for  the  first  time  he  looked  upon 
death,  that  never  more  could  those  blue  eyes  look 
smilingly  into  his,  nor  those  fast-stiffening  arms  be 
stretched  out  in  mute  appeal  to  be  taken  to  the  brother's 
clasp. 

Shudderingly  he  laid  the  little  body  down,  and  with  a 
heart-breaking  moan,  threw  himself  prostrate  on  the 
floor  in  an  agony  of  grief.  Kudora  tried  to  comfort 


A   CHRISTIAN    OPTIMIST.  165 

him,  but  all  her  efforts  were  in  vain — the  sorrow  must 
have  vent,  or  the  little  heart  would  well-nigh  break. 

The  father,  now  thoroughly  aroused  by  the  noise, 
and  sobered  by  the  knowledge  that  his  child  was  really 
gone,  took  his  hat  and  went  to  notify  a  friend  whom 
the  mother  had  mentioned  to  Gladys  upon  her  inquir- 
ing for  whom  they  should  send.  Meantime,  both 
girls  arranged  the  wretched  room  as  well  as  was  possible 
under  the  circumstances.  Then  Gladys  returned 
home  to  prepare  some  food  for  the  family,  there  being 
apparently  no  provisions  in  the  house. 

Shortly  afterwards,  in  came  a  respectable-looking 
woman,  who  seemed  much  concerned  at  the  sad  event. 
Kudora  and  she  had  a  short  conversation  in  the  small 
shed  adjoining  their  one  room.  The  woman  told  her 
that  Tony's  parents  had  once  been  well-to-do  people; 
that  the  hard  times  had  thrown  the  man  out  of  work; 
and  finding  all  efforts  vain  to  secure  employment 
enough  to  keep  his  family  in  any  kind  of  comfort,  he 
took  to  drinking  out  of  sheer  discouragement.  The 
wife,  probably  at  first  to  allay  the  gnawings  of  hunger, 
gradually  joined  him — for  he  always  drank  at  home, 
never  in  saloons — until  both  had  fallen  to  their  present 
sad  condition. 

"And  she  was  as  pretty  and  as  nice  a  girl  as  ever 
you  could  lay  eyes  on,  miss,"  said  the  friend,  wiping 
awa}^  the  tears  with  her  apron.  "An'  he  was  good- 
lookin'  too;  you  can  see  the  children's  purtier  than 
common.  But  the  drink's  somethin'  terrible  when 
onct  it  lays  hold  of  man  or  woman  either.  Seems  as 
if  it  would  never  let  go  its  hold.  Heaven  help  them 
all!" 


1 66  A   BUSINESS   VENTURE;    OR, 

Finding  out  from  the  parents  that  they  had  no  plans 
nor  wishes  in  regard  to  the  child's  funeral,  Kudora 
ascertained  from  the  friend  where  the  minister  whose 
church  they  formerly  attended  lived,  and  she  resolved 
to  call  upon  him  and  acquaint  him  with  the  facts. 
Then  she  persuaded  Tony  to  return  home  with  her, 
where  she  intended  keeping  him  until  the  time  for  the 
funeral.  Mrs.  Warringsford,  as  usual,  came  to  her 
help  with  the  offer  of  a  fold-up  canvas  bed,  which 
Eudora  put  up  in  one  corner  of  the  store,  from  whence 
it  could  be  easily  taken  away  in  the  morning. 

Towards  evening,  she  called  on  the  minister.  He 
was  an  elderly  man,  kind  and  genial  in  manner,  and 
he  listened  with  interest  to  Kudora's  account.  He  re- 
membered the  family  when  she  mentioned  the  name, 
but  said  he  thought  they  had  long  since  left  the  city. 

"I  have  a  committee  organized  in  my  church,"  he 
said,  "to  look  after  just  such  cases;  but  it  was  proba- 
ably  not  in  existence  at  the  time  these  people  drifted 
from  us.  My  parish  is  so  large  that  it  is  impossible  for 
me  to  keep  track  of  each  person  connected  with  it; 
and  these  committees  take  a  great  deal  of  such  work 
off  my  hands." 

He  then  told  Kudora  at  what  hour  on  the  following 
day  he  could  hold  the  funeral  service,  promised  that 
their  immediate  wants  should  be  attended  to,  and  that 
efforts  would  also  be  made  for  their  future  well-being. 

The  next  afternoon,  after  a  short  service  at  the 
house,  the  liitle  body  was  laid  in  its  final  resting-place. 
Mrs.  Warringsford  had  given  Gladys  a  profusion  of 
white  flowers  to  lay  about  the  pretty  little  casket  pro- 
vided by  the  church  committee,  who  nad  at  once  re- 


A   CHRISTIAN   OPTIMIST.  167 

sponded  to  their  pastor's  call,  and  had  also  given  the 
father  and  mother  clothing  suitable  for  the  occasion. 
The  girls,  with  Mrs.  Warringsford's  assistance,  had 
fitted  out  the  children,  and  extremely  respectable  was 
the  appearance  of  .the  whole  family  when  the  last  sad 
rites  were  being  performed.  Sore  as  Tony's  heart  was 
for  the  little  brother  whose  special  care-taker  he  had 
been,  yet  he  could  not  help  feeling  soothed  and  com- 
forted by  the  attentions  lavished  on  them  all;  and  a 
feeling  of  gratified  pride  came  over  him,  when,  glanc- 
ing even  through  his  tears  at  the  little  party  assembled 
for  the  ceremony,  he  saw  in  the  doorway  the  awed 
and  admiring  faces  of  his  friend  Jim  and  several  other 
boys  of  the  mission  class! 

But,  when  all  was  over,  and  he  had  returned  to  his 
desolate  home,  over  which  the  darkness  was  again  fast 
falling,  his  grief  once  more  had  the  upper  hand,  and 
lie  sobbed  out  to  Kudora,  who  was  bidding  him  good- 
bye: "I  didn't  take  no  stock  in  the  baby,  an'  I  used 
ter  wish  he'd  never  been  bonied.  But  I  wish  it  all 
the  same  now,  for" — with  a  fresh  burst  of  sobs — "if 
he  hadn't — never  had  been  borned,  he  wouldn't — 
never — have  died!  " 


l68  A   BUSINESS   VENTURE;    OR, 


CHAPTER   XIX. 

''Get  out  your  best  attractions  to  adorn  your  win- 
dow," said  Mr.  Crescent  one  day  to  Hdna;  "and  make 
your  store  as  alluring  as  possible.  L,a  Fiesta  is  ap- 
proaching. It  always  draws  large  crowds,  some  east- 
ern people  even  timing  their  visit  hitherward  so  as  to 
be  present  at  this  great  event.  It  is  the  harvest-time 
of  the  L,os  Angeles  merchants,  and,  though  you  are 
somewhat  out  of  the  way,  still  you  may  possibly  profit 
to  a  certain  extent  by  the  business  activity  surround- 
ing you." 

"I  have  heard  of  L,a  Fiesta,"  said  Hdna,  who  just 
then  was  alone  in  the  store:  it  was  towards  even- 
ing, and  Gladys  was  preparing  dinner.  Kudora  had 
not  yet  returned  from  Mrs.  Warringsford's,  whose 
mending  day  this  happened  to  be.  "We  can  see  the 
processions,  at  any  rate,  and  it  will  be  something  to 
write  about  to  our  Eastern  friends. ' 

"I  propose  that  you  shall  see  a  good  deal  of  it,  Miss 
Edna.  But  we  can  make  our  plans  later  on.  We 
have  yet  a  week  before  us,  although  the  people  are 
wild  over  the  prospect,  and  numerous  flags  are  al- 
ready flying.  Ah!  good  evening,  Miss  Eudora.  We 
are  speaking  of  the  coming  Fiesta;  you  have  doubt- 
less heard  of  it." 

"This  evening,  for  the  first  time,"  replied  Eudora. 
I  hardly  yet  understand  exactly  what  it  is,  though  I 
imagine  it  somewhat  resembles  the  Mardi  Gras  festival 
at  New  Orleans." 


A   CHRISTIAN   OPTIMIST.  169 

"In  some  of  its  features,"  said  Mr.  Crescent. 
"Especially  in  the  masquerade,  which  takes  place  on 
the  closing  night;  and  which,  by  the  bye,  many  good 
citizens  would  gladly  eliminate  from  the  programme, 
since  the  liberty  then  given  is  apt  to  degenerate  into 
license.  *  But  the  celebration,  in  its  main  features,  is 
peculiar  to  Southern  California,  and  could  not  be  so 
successfully  carried  on  elsewhere.  Since  the  whole 
year  is  a  succession  of  harvests  of  one  kind  or  other, 
it  is  not  necessary  to  select  any  special  season  for  the 
ingathering  rejoicing.  But  by  the  middle  of  April 
comes  a  time  of  comparative  leisure,  since  the  orange 
crop  is  then  mostly  gathered  and  disposed  of,  and  the 
summer  crop  of  cereals  and  deciduous  fruits  is  not 
ready  to  be  harvested.  Then,  too,  the  slight  chill 
of  winter  has  passed — the  dust  which  later  on  is  not 
a  pleasant  feature  of  this  region,  has  not  yet  be- 
gun to  accumulate — in  fact,  everything  is  at  its  best. 
It  is  a  very  old  institution  introduced  into  California 
by  the  first  Spanish  settlers;  some  even  think  that  the 
Indians  held  something  of  a  fiesta  as  a  token  of  appre- 
ciation of  the  bountiful  conditions  surrounding  them. 
But  I  ought  to  be  off,"  continued  Mr.  Crescent,  con- 
sulting his  watch.  "I  have  an  engagement  at  seven, 
and  it  is  now  a  quarter  past  six;  I  suppose,  though,  I 
have  a  few  minutes  yet  to  spare. ' ' 

But  he  lingered  even  after  the  few  minutes  were 
over,  and  only  when  he  was  forced  to  go,  or  miss  his 
appointment,  did  he  reluctantly  take  his  departure. 
He  was  barely  outside  the  door,  when  Gladys  sum- 
moned them  to  dinner. 

"Why  didn't  you  come  in  and  see  Mr.  Crescent?" 


1 70  A   BUSINESS   VENTURE;    OR, 

asked  Edna.  "I  am  sure  he  was  disappointed  not  to 
meet  you." 

"I  can't  see,"  replied  her  sister,  coolly,  " that  it  is 
necessary  he  should  behold  all  three  of  us  every  time 
he  comes,  which,  as  you  know,  is  very  often,  being 
our  business  manager. ' ' 

"And,  in  fact,  our  general  manager  all  around,  it 
seems  to  me,"  said  Edna.  "But,  to  tell  you  the 
truth,  Gladys,  my  private  opinion  is,  that  he  would 
rather  be  a  special  manager.  Perhaps  he  is  tired  of 
general  skirmishing,  and  intends  for  the  future  to  take 
aim  only  in  one  direction." 

"Edna,"  said  Eudora,  admonishingly,  though  Edna 
was  sure  she  saw  a  twinkle  in  her  eyes,  '  'do  speak 
more  respectfully  of  our  father's  old  friend.  Mr. 
Crescent  takes,  as  far  as  possible,  his  place  to  us,  and 
is  certainly  one  of  the  kindest,  most  considerate  of 
friends.  It  would  be  a  great  pity  to  spoil  our  pleasure 
in  his  society  by  giving  way  to  foolish  imaginings. ' ' 

"And,  besides,"  added  Gladys,  severely,  "I  have 
often  told  you,  Edna,  that  such  speeches  were  very 
vulgar,  and  not  indulged  in  by  ladies. ' ' 

Thus  quenched,  Edna  concluded  to  keep  silence  for 
the  future.  Meantime,  her  private  opinion  only  gained 
in  strength  as  the  days  went  by.  But  now  her 
thoughts  reverted  to  the  coming  celebration. 

'  'We  can  arrange  all  the  flowers  we  pressed,  Gladys, ' ' 
she  said,  "and  exhibit  them  in  the  window.  They 
will  look  beautiful  on  those  lovely  tinted,  scalloped 
cards  we  have  in  the  drawer.  Your  taste  will  have  to 
come  into  requisition  there.  But,  Eudora,  you  said 
you  heard  of  I^a  Fiesta  for  the  first  time  this  evening. 


A   CHRISTIAN   OPTIMIST.  1 7 1 

Did  Mrs.  Warringsford  tell  you  about  it?  And  did 
she  say  anything  about  inviting  us  to  go  with  her  to 
see  the  sights?" 

'  'It  was  there  I  heard  of  it, "  replied  Eudora.  ' 'And 
something  was  said  about  our  joining  them  in  sight- 
seeing, little  sister." 

"O,  splendid!"  exclaimed  Edna,  clapping  her  hands. 
"Why  didn't  you  tell  me  before?" 

"Possibly,  dear,  because  I  have  not  the  slightest 
idea  of  going,  at  least  through  the  day,  though  I  see 
no  objection  to  your  doing  so  if  you  choose.  You  will 
hear  enough  of  it  from  Gabrielle  to-night,  if  she 
should  be  awake  when  you  go  over. ' ' 

"0,  I  am  going  early  this  evening  to  celebrate  my 
last  night  over  there.  I  wish  it  wasn't!  I've  had 
such  a  lovely  time,  and  only  wish  it  were  to  do  over 
again.  Gabrielle  says  her  father  is  going  to  allow  her 
to  stay  up  for  half  an  hour  every  evening  after  you 
go,  so  that  you  can  all  have  a  pleasant  time  together 
in  the  parlor.  Won't  it  be  lovely  ?' ' 

"Well,  Edna,  you  are  going  to  have  the  loveliness 
to  yourself,  for  some  time  to  come,  at  least.  I  told 
Mrs.  Warringsford  to-day  that  I  would  make  no 
change  for  the  present." 

Gladys  looked  inquiringly  at  her  sister,  and  Edna 
clasped  her  hands  in  ecstasy. 

"Really  and  truly,  and  on  your  honor,  Eudora?  and 
is  it  a  real,  true  and  actual  fact?" 

"Really  and  truly,  little  sister.  And  I  am  glad  it 
makes  you  so  happy.  We  are  both  satisfied. ' ' 

"But,  Eudora,"  said  Gladys,  "I  hope  you  are  not 
doing  this  on  my  account.  You  know  I  sleep  very 


172  A  BUSINESS  VKNTUR3  ;   OR, 

well  now  as  a  usual  thing,  and  I  don't  think  I  shall 
disturb  Edna  any  more." 

•  'It  is  not  that — chiefly' ' — replied  Hudora.  '  'I  truly 
prefer  it  this  way,  Gladys,  and  I  think  you  have  no 
special  objection,  so  we  are  suited  all  around." 

"The  only  trouble  is,"  said  Edna,  dolefully,  "that 
they  won't  like  it  so  well  over  there.  I  don't  think 
Gabrielle  cares  so  much,  for  now  she  is  used  to  me, 
and  we  really  do  have  jolly  times.  But  I  know  Mrs. 
Warringsford  likes  you  ever  so  much"  better,  and 
thinks  you  have  such  a  good  influence  over  Gabrielle. 
'Miss  Kudora  is  so  lovely  and  has  such  perfect  man- 
ners,' I  heard  her  say  once  to  somebody:  'I  consider 
it  a  great  privilege  to  have  her  so  much  with  the 
children.'  " 

Kdna's  voice  and  manner  were  so  good  an  imitation 
of  Mrs.  Warringsford  that  it  was  impossible  to  keep 
from  laughing. 

"But,"  continued  Edna,  more  cheerfully,  "you  are 
there  on  Monday  for  all  day,  you  know,  and  Gabrielle 
is  with  you  all  afternoon,  so  they  must  be  satisfied 
with  that.  And  sometimes,  you  know,  you  spend  two 
days  there. ' ' 

"Yes,"  replied  Eudora;  "I  have  been  doing  so,  but 
for  the  future  I  am  going  to  bring  the  work  over 
home  and  do  it  here;  at  least,  for  awhile.  I  hope 
you  have  neither  of  you  any  objection?" 

Gladys  and  Edna  both  looked  surprised. 

"Of  course  not,"  said  Gladys,  at  last.  "But,  Eu- 
dora, why  are  you  making  the  change?  And  will 
Mrs.  Warringsford  like  it  ?' ' 

"Of  course  she  won't,"  said  Edna,  before  her  sister 


A   CHRISTIAN  OPTIMIST.  173 

had  time  to  reply.  '  'I  have  just  been  saying  how  glad 
she  was  to  have  her  over  there  on  account  of  Ga- 
brielle." 

"Well,  Gabrielle  can  easily  come  here  when  her 
school  is  over.  I  think  that  will  do  just  as  well,  will 
it  not,  little  sister?" 

1  'I  don't  know,"  said  Edna,  doubtfully.  "Why, 
no,  of  course  it  won't.  Gabrielle  told  me  she  always 
looked  forward  so  to  Monday,  because  her  father  came 
home  that  afternoon,  and  you  were  there  too,  and  you 
three  had  such  nice  times  together.  I  don't  see  why 
you  want  to  go  and  spoil  it  all.  I  only  wish  /  had  the 
chance!" 

"I  sincerely  wish  you  had,  Edna."  Eudora  spoke 
pleasantly,  but  there  was  a  troubled  look  in  her  eyes, 
so  seldom  seen  there  that  Edna  concluded  to  drop  the 
subject,  though  wondering  within  herself  as  to  the 
cause. 

Eudora  had  as  yet  said  nothing  to  Mrs.  Warrings- 
ford  in  regard  to  this  change,  and  now  she  began  to 
hesitate,  and  wonder  whether,  after  all,  she  would  be 
acting  wisely.  She  had  up  to  this  time  only  con- 
sidered the  matter  in  one  light.  Now  Edna's  words 
had  caused  her  to  regard  it  in  another,  and  she  began 
seriously  to  doubt  the  wisdom  of  her  decision.  It 
probably  would  displease  Mrs.  Warringsford,  especially 
as  she  could  give  no  satisfactory  reason  for  the  change  ; 
it  would  disappoint  Gabrielle,  it  would  cause  specu- 
lations in  both  houses  as  to  the  cause,  in  fact,  make  a 
general  disturbance.  And,  after  all,  had  she  cause 
enough  to  warrant  her  taking  such  a  step  ?  In  her 
perplexity  she  did  what  she  ought  to  have  done  in  the 


174  A   BUSINESS   VENTURE;    OR, 

first  place — consulted  her  Guide  ;  and  in  the  quiet,  as 
she  listened  for  the  still  small  voice,  it  told  her, 
Wait. 

So  matters  went  on  as  usual,  and  La  Fiesta  was  at 
hand. 

"Miss  Eudora,"  said  Mr.  Ernest,  as  he  came  into 
the  nursery  one  Monday  afternoon — the  young  girl 
was  sewing  as  usual,  while  Gabrielle  was  chattering 
away  to  her — "perhaps  you  are  not  aware  that 
La  Fiesta  begins  to-morrow.  It  is,  nevertheless,  a 
fact." 

Eudora  looked  up  smiling,  and  Gabrielle  clapped  her 
hands  gleefully. 

'  'Yes,  I  had  heard  so,  Mr.  Ernest,  from  our  vege- 
table Chinaman  and  other  trades-people.  They  all 
seem  much  excited  at  the  near  approach  of  the  great 
event.  How  long  does  it  last  ? ' ' 

"Five  days,  Miss  Eudora.  But  on  the  first  day  the 
exercises  are  merely  preliminary,  and  comparatively 
few  care  to  attend  them.  On  the  second  comes  the 
main  day-procession,  and  in  the  evening  the  concert. 
On  the  third  day  there  is  an  athletic  performance,  and 
at  night  the  brilliantly  illuminated  parade,  'The  Lands 
of  the  Sun.'  The  next  day  is  the  children's  celebra- 
tion, and  a  ball,  and  it  closes  on  the  fifth  day  with  the 
famous  flower  parade,  of  which  you  have  doubtless 
heard.  There  is  also  that  night  the  carnival  of  mask- 
ers ;  from  which  last  the  more  reputable  part  of  the 
community  are  usually  conspicuous  by  their  absence, 
although,  of  course,  many  go  from  curiosity  to  look 
on." 


A  CHRISTIAN  OPTIMIST.  175 

"O  papa,"  exclaimed  Gabrielle,"  *  'you'll  take  us  to 
see  it  all,  won't  you?  " 

"Not  all,  little  daughter.  But  I  shall  certainly  take 
you  to  see  a  large  part  of  it,  as  I  have  already 
promised  you.  Miss  Eudora,  you  will  hardly  care  to 
attend  the  preliminary  exercises  to-morrow,  but  I 
think  you  will  enjoy  seeing  the  parade  on  the  follow- 
ing afternoon,  and  attending  in  the  evening  the  con- 
cert at  the  pavilion.  Then  on  the  following  evening, 
'The  lyands  of  the  Sun' — which  is  said  to  be  a  really 
gorgeous  sight — and  on  the  last  afternoon  the  flower 
parade.  These  I  have  marked  as  being  the  sights  you 
will  probably  most  enjoy.  Mr.  Crescent  and  myself 
have  secured  a  bay  window  up-stairs  in  a  place  where 
the  processions  and  parades  are  seen  to  the  very  best 
advantage.  My  mother  will  be  with  us  part  of  the 
time,  and  Mrs.  Parlot  all  the  time,  I  believe.  Mr. 
Crescent  intends  speaking  to  Miss  Gladys  on  the  sub- 
ject this  evening,  and  Lloyd  is  counting  on  escorting 
Miss  Edna,  whom  he  greatly  admires.  Boys  of  his 
age  usually  admire  girls  older  than  themselves,  I 
believe." 

Gabrielle  withdrew  from  her  father's  encircling 
arms,  and  tears  filled  her  eyes. 

"Then  /  am  to  be  left  out,"  she  said,  with  a  sob 
which  she  tried  to  restrain. 

"Why,  my  little  daughter!"  exclaimed  Mr.  Ernest, 
as  he  drew  her  to  him  again.  "What  put  such  an 
idea  into  your  head  ?  Did  I  not  tell  you  that  I  would 
take  you  ?  We  are  all  going  together  in  a  party.  The 
window  is  large  enough  for  us  all.  I  only  meant  that 
L^loyd  would  consider  Miss  Edna  his  special  charge." 


1 76  A    BUSINESS  VKNTURK;    OR, 

"And  am  I  your  special  charge?"  asked  Gabrielle, 
the  sore  place  in  her  little  heart  still  aching. 

"Certainly,  dear;  you  and  Grandmamma  and  Miss 
Eudora — if  she  will  kindly  allow  me  the  pleasure. ' ' 

He  bent  his  dark  eyes  inquiringly  upon  Eudora, 
who,  having  no  answer  prepared,  merely  murmured 
her  thanks,  and  kept  on  diligently  with  her  sewing. 

In  the  evening,  Mr.  Crescent  called.  After  some 
general  conversation  in  regard  to  L,a  Fiesta,  he  said: 

"Mr.  Ernest  and  myself  have  arranged  a  pro- 
gramme, young  ladies,  which  we  think  includes  every- 
thing likely  to  be  of  special  interest  to  all. " 

He  then  sketched  about  the  same  plan  of  proceed- 
ings which  Eudora  had  already  heard  from  Mr.  Ernest, 
and  continued,  as  he  saw  Edna  looking  anxious:  "We 
shall  manage  about  you,  Miss  Edna.  It  might  be  bad 
policy  to  close  the  store  entirely;  but  at  the  time  of 
the  chief  processions,  which  are  only  in  the  afternoons 
or  evenings,  it  would  be  useless  to  try  to  keep  it  open. 
The  first  day  will  be  your  main  harvest,  as  strangers 
are  then  walking  about  the  city  on  tours  of  explora- 
tion, not  caring  much  usually  for  the  opening  exer- 
cises. On  the  second  and  fifth  days  you  may  safely 
close  it  for  the  afternoon,  but  the  remainder  of  the 
time  I  would  advise  it  kept  open.  You  will  thus 
see  what  you  will  care  the  most  about  in  the  daytime, 
and  have  all  your  evenings  free  besides.  How  will 
that  do,  Miss  Edna?" 

"Delightfully,"  said  Edna.  "I  had  no  idea  I  was 
going  to  see  so  much.  And  I  think  you  are  very, 
very  kind,  Mr.  Crescent." 

"The  obligation  is  on  my  side,  I  assure  you,  Miss 


A   CHRISTIAN   OPTIMIST.  177 

Kdna.  You  have  no  idea  what  an  interest  it  is  to  a 
lonely  old  fellow  like  myself  to  have  some  lively 
young  folks  about  him,  to  give  him  a  chance  to 
live  over  his  own  youth  in  theirs.  I  think  if  it  had 
not  been  for  your  being  here,  I  should  have  returned 
to  New  York  to  spend  the  winter,  in  spite  of  all  the 
doctors  in  the  world.  But  business  must  be  attended 
to,  Miss  Edna,"  he  added,  in  a  joking  tone;  "and  you 
and  I  are  partners,  you  know." 

There  was  a  long  silence  after  Mr.  Crescent  took  his 
departure,  during  which  two  of  the  girls  looked  ex- 
tremely grave.  Each  had  her  special  reason  therefor, 
and  each  was  in  the  dark  as  to  the  other's  reasons. 
Edna  broke  silence  at  last. 

"Well,  girls,  what  are  you  thinking  about?  One 
might  suppose  you  had  just  heard  something  very 
disagreeable,  instead  of  having  had  a  most  delightful 
invitation. ' ' 

"/  was  thinking,"  said  Gladys,  slowly,  "that  I 
should  very  much  prefer  not  attending  any  of  these  gay 
sights.  I  am  in  no  mood  for  them,  and  I  would  have 
told  Mr.  Crescent  so,  only  I  dislike  greatly  disap- 
pointing him,  when  he  has  taken  so  much  trouble 
chiefly  for  our  benefit.  What  shall  I  do,  Eudora  ?' ' 

Eudora  hesitated.  "I  hardly  think,"  she  said  at 
last,  "that  you  can  refuse  now,  when  you  made  no 
objection  at  first,  thus  tacitly  accepting  his  kindness." 
But  even  as  she  said  it,  she  felt  that  the  same  reason- 
ing applied  to  herself,  and  she  came  to  an  abrupt  con- 
clusion. 

"And  then,  think  how  you  would  disappoint  him," 


1 78  A   BUSINESS   V3NTURK;    OR, 

said  Edna,  eagerly.  "Why,  Gladys,  it  would  spoil 
everything  for  him.  I  know  it  would. ' ' 

And  deep  down  in  her  heart,   Gladys  knew  it  too! 

That  night  she  was  restless  and  nervous  to  a  degree 
unusual  of  late.  For  she  had  been  growing  so  much 
calmer  and  more  cheerful  that  Kudora  had  great  hopes 
that  the  trouble  was  gradually  passing  from  her,  and 
that  it  had  been  more  imaginary  than  real.  But  now 
she  had  started  up  at  intervals  in  the  same  distress  as 
at  first,  sometimes  moaning  and  uttering  incoherent 
words.  Late  in  the  night  she  fell  asleep  quietly,  and 
then  Eudora's  thoughts  reverted  to  her  own  case. 
What  had  she  best  do  ?  For  it  was  useless  now  shut- 
ting her  eyes  to  what  she  feared  was  a  fact,  that  in- 
definiteness  was  fast  becoming  definiteness,  and  she 
felt  that  something  ought  to  be  done  before  the  former 
had  actually  merged  into  the  latter.  But  what  ? 

Her  troubled  brain  surged  back  and  forth,  suggest- 
ing first  this  plan,  then  that,  each  one  only  to  be  re- 
jected in  its  turn.  She  was  fast  becoming  nervous  and 
feverish,  going  back  to  the  former  restless  anxious 
questionings  as  to  whether  she  was  doing  right  or 
wrong,  to  the  surgings  and  tossings,  the  vacillations 
and  uncertainties  of  her  "day  of  Time."  Suddenly 
she  remembered.  "Have  I  again  so  soon  forgotten 
my  Guide?"  she  thought.  "My  Counselor  in  every 
perplexity,  my  dear  unfailing  Friend  !" 

Then  laying  all  her  perplexities,  anxieties  and  fears 
into  the  strong  Hands  which  never  had  refused  to 
hold  them,  in  the  dawn  of  that  new  "Day  of  Christ," 
within  her  heart,  she  fell  into  a  quiet  sleep. 


A  CHRISTIAN  OPTIMIST.  179 


CHAPTER  XX. 

"Eudora,"  said  Edna,  next  morning,  after  Gladys 
had  gone  to  her  class-room  and  the  two  were  washing 
the  dishes  together,  "did  you  notice  how  badly 
Gladys  looked  this  morning?  Has  anything  new 
happened  ?' ' 

"Not  that  I  know  of,"  replied  Eudora.  "But  she 
was  very  restless  last  night,  and  shows  the  effects  this 
morning. ' ' 

"O  dear!"  said  Edna,  with  a  deep  sigh.  "I  did 
so  hope  she  was  all  over  that!  And  now  she  looks  as 
badly  as  ever!" 

' 'We  must  not  expect  too  much,"  said  Eudora  cheer- 
fully. "People  take  relapses  sometimes,  but  I  hardly 
think  this  will  last  long.  If  it  should,  dear,  it  will 
doubtless  be  for  some  good  purpose.  Faith  and 
patience,  little  sister  ! 

"To  wait  on  God,  no  time  is  lost. 
Wait  on,  wait  on!" 

"Eudora,"  said  Edna,  after  a  pause,  "I  am  going 
to  make  a  confession.  Perhaps  you  won't  like  it, 
though  ?' '  She  paused  and  looked  inquiringly  at  her 
sister. 

"Say  on,  Edna.     I  don't  think  I  shall  mind  it." 
"Well,  then,  you  too  have  been  looking  rather — 
well,    rather   grumpy    of    late — not   exactly   grumpy 
either — but  grave,  and  as  if  you  were  not  happy.     Es- 
pecially last  night,  and  I  was  beginning  to  think  that 


l8o  A   BUSINESS   VENTURE;    OR, 

perhaps  you  didn't  feel  any  more  as  you  used  to,  or 
that  your  way  wasn't  any  better  than  anyone  else's 
way.  But  this  morning  you  look  as  bright  as  ever, 
and — I  suppose  I  made  a  mistake.  There  now !  Are 
you  vexed?" 

Hudora  smiled.  "No,  indeed,  Edna.  Not  at  all. 
You  are  partly  right  and  partly  wrong.  I  have  not 
been  quite  so  happy  as  usual  just  lately,  being  per- 
plexed and  not  knowing  what  was  best  to  do.  And 
through  my  neglect,  my  lamp  of  faith  has  not  been 
burning  as  brightly  as  it  might.  I  had  lost,  for  the 
moment,  my  firm  grip  of  the  guiding  Hand  that  is 
always  waiting  to  take  my  own  and  lead  me  in  ex- 
actly the  path  I  ought  to  go,  and  have  been  taking 
upon  myself  the  responsibility  of  finding  my  own  way, 
and  tiring  myself  in  the  effort.  But  it  is  all  right 
now,  little  sister,  and  I  hope  you  will  see  no  more 
'grumpy'  looks  from  me." 

"O  well,  they  weren't  very  grumpy — not  cross,  I 
mean,  the  way  you  used  to  look  long  ago.  I  used 
constantly  to  be  afraid  of  doing  or  saying  something 
that  would  bring  down  on  myself  one  of  your  disap- 
proving looks  or  speeches. ' ' 

"You  poor  child!  "  said  Kudora,  laughing,  "I  must 
have  been  very  disagreeable,  though  at  the  time  I  did 
not  realize  it.  It  does  not  do  to  cultivate  the  negative 
side  of  one's  character.  I  think  I  must  have  resem- 
bled the  lady  I  read  about,  who  was  in  the  habit  of 
saying  to  her  child's  nurse,  'Mary,  see  what  Charlie  is 
doing,  and  tell  him  not  to  do  it. '  ' 

Edna  laughed  heartily.  "That  was  just  about  it, 
Eudora.  I  was  always  expecting  to  hear  you  say, 


A   CHRISTIAN  OPTIMIST.  l8l 

don't;  and  I  did  everything  under  a  sense  of  condem- 
nation, not  soothing,  to  say  the  least." 

"I  should  think  not,  indeed.  The  fact  is,  Edna,  I 
was  fonder  of  the  'shalt  not'  of  the  law,  than  the 
'shalt'  of  the  Gospel.  Now  it  is  the  other  way,  and  I 
am  finding  out  more  and  more  from  day  to  day  that 
the  affirmative  includes  the  negative — or  rather,  does 
away  with  all  need  for  the  negative.  But  we  must 
hurry  a  little,  Edna.  This  is  your  'harvest  day'  at 
the  store,  you  know,  and  it  is  nearly  time  for  me  to  go 
to  work  too;  I  sew  at  Mrs.  Warringsford's  to-day  as 
well  as  yesterday,  as  I  am  making  over  some  of  the 
children' s  clothes.  I  have  concluded  to  make  no  change 
in  that  respect  for  the  present. ' ' 

"I  am  so  glad,"  said  Edna,  "for  I  am  sure  they 
wouldn't  like  it.  Gabrielle  said  last  night,  how  glad 
she  was  that  you  were  to  be  there  again  to-day,  for  she 
was  going  to  help  you  sew. ' ' 

'  'Yes,  Mrs.  Warringsford  is  anxious  that  she  should 
learn  how  to  use  her  needle,  and  she  is  really  showing 
quite  an  aptitude  for  the  art.  I  am  cutting  her  out 
some  clothes  for  her  doll,  and  she  is  making  them  very 
neatly." 

Then  Eudora,  with  a  good-bye  kiss  to  Edna,  went 
off  to  carry  out  the  advice  of  Goethe,  "Do  the  duty 
that  lies  nearest  thee,"  or  in  old  English  parlance, 
"Do  the  nexte  thynge,"  knowing  that  this  was  the 
first  step  towards  the  unraveling  of  that  tangle  of  per- 
plexity which  seemed  to  be  winding  itself  around  her 
of  late.  About  four  o'clock,  in  walked  Mr.  Ernest, 
tired  of  sight-seeing,  he  said. 

"O  papa!"   exclaimed  Gabrielle,   running  to  meet 


1 82  A   BUSINESS   VENTURE;    OR, 

him.  "How  glad  I  am!  You  didn't  say  you  were 
coming  home  so  early.  See  how  nicely  I  have  made 
my  dolly's  dress."  And  she  held  it  up  for  inspection. 

"Very  nicely,  indeed,  my  little  daughter.  I  am 
much  pleased  at  your  proficiency.  It  is  most  kind  of 
Miss  Kudora  to  take  such  pains  with  you,  and  I  hope 
you  appreciate  her  kindness. ' ' 

"Yes,  indeed,"  said  Gabrielle,  earnestly.  "And  I 
just  wish  that  she  lived  here  all  the  time.  Don't  you, 
papa?" 

If  Mr.  Ernest's  composure  were  ruffled  in  the  very 
slightest  degree,  he  gave  no  sign  thereof,  but  replied 
in  his  usual  measured  tones,  "Indeed  I  do,  daughter — 
if  Miss  Kudora  would  like  it  herself.  But,  Gabrielle, 
it  seems  to  me  that  dolly  needs  a  pair  of  new  shoes  to 
go  with  that  fine  dress.  Shall  I  take  her  measure, 
aud  get  her  a  pair  when  I  go  up  town  again  !" 

"O,  thank  you,  papa.  Yes,  she  really  does  need  a 
pair.  But  let  me  measure  her,  for  I  don't  think  you 
would  know  how.  I  mean,"  she  hastened  to  explain, 
fearing  that  she  might  have  hurt  her  father's  feelings, 
"that  men  don't  usually  know  much  about  dollies; 
now  do  they,  papa  ?' ' 

"No  indeed,  daughter.  So  take  your  own  way 
about  it.  Miss  Kudora,  you  have  not  missed  much  to- 
day. There  was  noise,  and  rushing  and  crowding,  but 
nothing  of  very  special  interest — according,  at  least, 
to  my  idea." 

"Are  there  many  strangers  in  the  city,  Mr.  Krnest  !" 

"Any  amount  of  them,  Miss  Kudora.  The  hotels 
are  crowded.  I  met  several  New  York  friends  this 
morning.  They  have  been  traveling  through  South- 


A    CHRISTIAN  OPTIMIST.  183 

ern  California,  making  short  stays  at  various  points — 
chiefly  at  the  sea- side  resorts,  which  are  more  interest- 
ing to  some  people  in  winter  than  in  summer,  es- 
pecially to  those  who  prefer  avoiding  a  crowd — and 
have  timed  their  visit  to  I^os  Angeles  so  as  to  witness 
L,a  Fiesta.  I  should  think  it  likely  that  some  of  your 
former  friends  might  be  among  them.  If  so,  you  may 
possibly  run  across  them  to-morrow. ' ' 

"Perhaps  in  the  evening,"  said  Kudora.  "But, 
Mr.  Ernest,  I  have  decided  that  it  would  be  better  not 
to  make  any  change  in  my  sewing  arrangements. 
The  houses  where  I  am  engaged  for  the  remainder  of 
this  week,  are  directly  in  the  line  of  the  processions — 
so  I  am  told — I  shall  therefore  have  a  good  view  of 
them,  without  stopping  my  work  to  any  great  extent. 
But  for  the  evenings  I  shall  gratefully  accept  your  kind- 
ness, and  join  the  rest  of  the  party  in  sight-seeing." 

Eudora  had  continued  her  sewing  during  her  speech, 
and  only  looked  up  when  it  was  ended.  If  she  had 
needed  anything  to  confirm  her  in  the  assurance 
that  she  had  made  a  right  decision,  the  change  in  Mr. 
Ernest's  face  would  have  been  enough.  There  was  a 
perceptible  pause,  after  which  he  replied  in  his  coldest, 
haughtiest  tones,  "you  will,  of  course,  act  according 
to  your  own  pleasure,  Miss  Eudora."  Then  after  a 
few  remarks  to  Gabrielle,  he  bowed  and  left  the 
room. 

"I  wonder  what  is  the  matter  with  papa,"  said 
Gabrielle,  who  had  not  been  attending  to  the  previous 
conversation.  "He  looks  just  as  he  does  when  some- 
thing makes  him  angry.  Did  you  vex  him,  Miss  Eu- 
dora?" But  Eudora  was  spared  the  necessity  of  re- 


184  A   BUSINESS   VENTURE;    OR, 

plying  by  L,ogan  running  in  to  announce  that  an 
organ- man  with  a  monkey  was  dowrn  stairs,  upon 
which  both  children  ran  off  together. 

Meantime,  Edna  was  having  an  experience  of  her  own 
at  the  store.  She  was,  as  Mr.  Crescent  had  predicted, 
kept  extremely  busy  all  morning.  Strangers  wander- 
ing about  the  streets  and  coming  across  this  unex- 
pected little  store  with  its  attractive  window,  and 
a  certain  something  about  it  impossible  to  define, 
but  differing  from  stores  in  general,  and  noticing 
many  little  artistic  souvenirs  in  the  shape  of  pressed 
flowers,  sea-mosses  and  shells,  or  small  paintings 
of  California  scenery,  made  numerous  purchases, 
so  that  Edna's  money  box  began  to  fill  up  in 
a  delightful  manner.  As  she  bent  over  it  during  a 
lull  in  the  business,  giving  a  guess  at  its  contents,  the 
door  opened  and  a  young  lady  entered.  As  she  ap- 
proached the  counter,  and  Edna  looked  up,  the  recog- 
nition was  mutual. 

"Why,  L,aura  Savin!" 

"Why,  Edna  Grayston!" 

And  the  former  friends  kissed  each  other  delightedly. 
L,aura  had  been  Edna's  most  intimate  companion  in 
New  York,  and  many  had  been  the  promises  of  corre- 
spondence between  them,  promises  as  yet  unfulfilled 
on  either  side.  When  the  warm  greetings  were  ended, 
L,aura  looked  curiously  around  her. 

"Why,  Edna,  what  are  you  doing  here?  Playing 
philanthropist,  I  suppose,  to  let  some  poor  girl  get  an 
outing!" 

"No,  indeed,"  said  Edna,  laughing;  but  she  felt  a 
flush  of  something  like  shame  mounting  to  her  face. 


A   CHRISTIAN   OPTIMIST.  185 

'  'I  am  the  poor  girl  myself,  and  this  is  my  own  store. ' ' 

Laura  gave  her  an  astonished  stare. 

"Not  really,  Edna?     You  are  surely  joking." 

'  'Indeed,  I  am  not,  Laura.  My  father  died  suddenly 
last  summer,  and,  owing  to  other  people's  failures, 
was  so  involved  that  we  were  left  almost  penniless. 
If  he  had  lived  longer,  he  would  have  righted  matters, 
but—" 

Edna  stopped  short,  as  the  tears,  from  various  causes, 
ran  down  her  cheeks. 

''You  poor  dear!"  said  her  friend,  impulsively.  "I 
am  awfully  sorry!  It's  a  dreadful  shame,  so  it  is!  I'm 
so  glad  I  happened  to  come  in.  Mamma  is  making  a 
call  a  few  doors  off,  and  as  I  didn't  want  to  go  in,  I 
told  her  I  would  walk  about  until  she  came  out.  We 
have  been  traveling  about  nearly  all  winter,  and  came 
here  to  see  La  Fiesta  before  returning  to  New  York. 
I  shall  go  now,  and  wait  in  the  carriage  until  she  comes 
out,  when  I  shall  bring  her  in  to  see  you. ' ' 

And  Laura  went  off,  on  kindly  thought  and  deed  in- 
tent. Edna  would  gladly  have  been  excused  from 
seeing  the  mother.  She  remembered  her  as  a  pompous, 
worldly  woman,  utterly  different  from  the  daughter, 
who  was  a  favorite  with  all.  But  she  could  not,  of 
course,  make  any  objection. 

Laura  met  her  mother  on  the  sidewalk,  just  about 
to  enter  the  carriage. 

'  'Wait  a  moment,  mamma.  I  want  to  tell  you  some- 
thing." And,  drawing  her  to  one  side,  she  gave  her 
a  hasty  account  of  what  had  happened. 

"It  is  very  sad,  indeed,  my  dear.  But  could  you 
not  have  told  me  all  this  on  our  way  home?' ' 


1 86  A    BUSINESS  VENTURE;    OR, 

"Why,  mamma!  I  want  you  to  come  in  to  see  her, 
and  invite  her  to  call  on  us  at  the  hotel,  and  show  her 
some  attention,  and — ' ' 

"My  dear,"  said  Mrs.  Savin,  as  L,aura  paused,  "I 
shall  of  course  go  in  and  see  your  friend,  if  you  wish 
it;  but  as  to  inviting  her  to  call,  and  such  things,  it 
would  hardly  be  suitable,  nor  probably  would  she  have 
time  to  accept  invitations.  There  are  conventionali- 
ties, dear—" 

They  had  been  walking  on  while  speaking,  and  at 
this  moment  arrived  at  the  door,  at  which  Edna  was 
waiting  to  receive  them.  Laura's  down-cast  counte- 
nance apprised  her  that  something  was  amiss,  though 
the  young  girl  tried  to  smile  at  her  as  brightly  as 
before. 

"How  do  you  do,  Miss  Grayston?"  said  Mrs.  Savin, 
extending  graciously  the  tips  of  her  fingers.  "I  am 
extremely  sorry  to  hear  of  your  sad  loss.  The  vicis- 
situdes of  life  are  great — ah,  yes,  indeed,  very  great." 

Here  the  lady  gave  a  profound  sigh,  then  paused, 
and  looked  around  her. 

' 'But  what  a  charming  little  store  you  have!  L,aura, 
my  dear,  I  am  sure  you  will  find  something  here  yon 
will  like  to  purchase.  What  beautifully  pressed  wild 
flowers!  And  those  sea-mosses  and  shells!  I  have 
never  seen  any  quite  so  pretty.  L,et  me  have  one 
of  each  style,  Miss  Grayston,  if  you  please.  And 
I  shotild  like  that  small  painting  of  Ramona's  cottage; 
it  seems  a  favorite  subject  for  painting  on  orange- 
wood,  for  I  have  seen  several  in  the  shop  windows; 
but  this  is  the  prettiest.  Have  you  found  any  books 
that  you  fancy,  Laura?  No?  Well,  then,  Miss  Gray- 


A   CHRISTIAN   OPTIMIST.  187 

ston,"  laying  down  a  five-dollar  bill,  "I  presume  this 
will  pay  for  these  things.  No,  I  beg  of  you,"  as 
Edna  opened  her  money-box  to  take  out  the  change; 
"pray  do  me  the  favor  of  keeping  it" — pausing 
abruptly  as  Edna,  with  flaming  cheeks,  took  out  two 
dollars  and  handed  it  to  her. 

"Your  purchases  come  to  three  dollars  exactly," 
she  said,  in  a  tone  so  strange  and  cold  that  it  startled 
even  herself.  "Here  are  two  dollars  change.  Thank 
you." 

Mrs.  Savin  looked  somewhat  disconcerted.  "Ex- 
cuse me,"  she  said,  shortly;  "no  offense  was  intended. 
Good  morning,  Miss  Gray  ston.  Come,  Laura."  And 
she  was  about  to  sweep  majestically  away  when  I^aura, 
who  had  been  standing  with  her  back  to  the  others, 
apparently  absorbed  in  examining  the  books  on  the 
opposite  shelf,  though  inwardly  fretting  and  fuming 
at  the  attitude  her  mother  had  assumed  towards  her 
dearest  friend,  now  came  forward  and  kissed  Edna  im- 
pulsively. 

"Good-bye  for  the  present,  dear  Edna.  But  I  shall 
be  back  again  just  as  soon  as  ever  I  can — perhaps  to- 
morrow." 

"O,  my  dear,"  interposed  her  mother,  pausing  at 
the  door,  "your  time  will  be  taken  up  entirely  with 
sight- seeing,  you  know;  and  we  shall  be  leaving  in  a 
few  days;  so  I  hardly  think  3^ou  will  be  able  to  return 
again,  much  as  you  would  doubtless  like  to  do  ao." 

Then  she  sailed  away,  followed  a  moment  later  by 
lyaura,  who  had  delayed  to  give  her  friend  a  parting 
hug,  and  to  whisper,  "But  I  shall  come  back  if  I  pos- 
sibly can,  you  darling  girl." 


1 88  A  BUSINESS   VENTURE;   OR, 

Edna  stood  for  a  while  in  a  state  of  mind  hard  to 
describe.  It  was  her  first  experience  of  the  kind. 
Hitherto,  the  only  persons  she  had  met  with  socially, 
with  the  exception  of  Mrs.  Parlot,  had  been  in  the 
evening,  at  Mrs.  Warringsford's  house.  They  had 
naturally  treated  her  as  she  was  treated  by  their 
hostess.  Besides,  Mrs.  Warringsford's  friends  were 
not  chosen  on  account  of  their  riches,  and  any  one  of 
them  who  had  shown  vulgarity  enough  to  slight  a 
young  lady  on  account  of  her  poverty  would  never 
have  been  invited  to  her  house  again.  Edna's  expe- 
rience had  therefore  been  a  happy  one,  and  now  both 
surprise  and  indignation  were  struggling  hard  within 
her.  She  was  still  standing  there,  growing  more 
angry  every  moment,  when  Gladys  came  in  from  her 
class-room. 

"Why,  Edna,  what  is  the  matter?"  For  her  sister's 
cheeks  were  flushed  and  her  eyes  full  of  angry  tears. 

Then  the  whole  story  was  poured  out,  losing  nothing 
in  the  recital.  Here,  at  least,  she  was  sure  of  sympa- 
thy, Gladys  having  always  had  more  pride  than  either 
of  her  sisters.  Now,  to  her  surprise,  and  also  to  her 
great  disappointment,  her  sister  listened  very  coolly 
to  her  story,  seeming,  indeed,  entirely  unmoved 
thereby. 

"Well,  Edna,  it  wasn't  very  pleasant,  was  it?  But 
it  is  just  what  I  should  have  expected  from  Mrs. 
Savin.  She  was  a  vulgar  woman,  trying  hard  to  get 
into  society,  but  not  succeeding,  with  all  her  money. 
Don't  you  remember  how  Mademoiselle  used  to  object 
at  first  to  your  associating  with  I^aura  on  account  of 


A   CHRISTIAN   OPTIMIST.  189 

her  mother,  and  how  hard  you  had  to  beg  before  suc- 
ceeding in  getting  your  own  way  ?' ' 

"Yes,  but  she  was  more  than  satisfied  afterwards, 
when  she  found  how  lovely  Laura  was. ' ' 

"But  we  never  visited  there  much,  you  know,  al- 
though Mrs.  Savin  tried  hard  to  induce  us  to  go.  So 
it  is  only  what  you  might  have  expected,  and  I  wouldn'  t 
mind  it  at  all,  Ducksie." 

"Why,  Gladys,  I  thought  you  would  be  the  very 
one  to  be  angry,  and  you  don't  seem  to  care  in  the 
very  least. ' ' 

"I  know  I  used  to  be  very  foolish  about  these  mat- 
ters, Edna" — Gladys  spoke  very  gravely  now — "but 
when  real  sorrow  comes,  these  comparative  trifles  sink 
into  utter  insignificance.  I  know  it  is  hard  for  you, 
though;  only  a  few  months  ago  I  should  have  felt  just 
the  same.  But  now — "  She  stopped  abruptly,  and 
turned  away. 

If  anything  could  have  been  effectual  in  restoring 
Edna's  equanimity,  it  was  this  avowal  of  Gladys. 
Never  before  had  she  spoken  of  her  trouble  directly 
to  Edna,  and  so  great  was  the  impression  made  that 
the  other  affair  was  nearly  forgotten.  Only  for  the 
moment,  though.  By  the  time  Eudora  returned,  ex- 
asperation had  once  more  gained  the  upper  hand,  and 
the  story  was  again  poured  out. 

"It  was  certainly  very  poor  taste  to  offer  you  the 
money,"  said  Eudora,  "though  I  daresay  she  meant 
it  kindly.  But,  in  what  you  have  told  me,  Edna,  I 
really  cannot  see  that  she  said  anything  actually  rude, 
or  that  even  was  not  polite,  according  to  her  standard 
of  politeness." 


IQO  A   BUSINESS   VENTURE;    OR, 

"It  was  not  what  she  said,"  replied  Edna,  in  a 
vexed  tone,  feeling  that  she  had  not  made  out  a  case. 
"It  was  her  whole  manner — but  you  can't  tell  any- 
thing about  it  unless  you  had  seen  the  whole  thing." 

"I  think  I  do  understand,  dear.  And  I  know  it 
must  have  been  exceedingly  annoying.  And  yet  it 
is  really  and  truly  not  worth  minding,  Kdna.  At  any 
rate,  it  is  past  and  gone,  and  you  will  do  well  to  adopt 
one  of  my  mottoes  for  your  own,  little  sister,  'forget- 
ting those  things  which  are  behind.'  I  find  it  such  a 
help  to  keep  that  in  mind;  actually  to  forget  dis- 
agreeable pasts,  when  the  remembrance  can  do  us  no 
good,  only  taking  from  them  whatever  lesson  we  can, 
and  letting  the  rest  go.  Just  as  the  juices  of  some 
poisonous  plants  are  extracted  to  use  as  medicines, 
and  the  remainder  thrown  away." 

"Well,"  said  Edna,  energetically  and  still  somewhat 
angrily,  "I'll  take  the  lesson  of  never  hurting  any- 
body's feelings,  if  I  can  possibly  help  it.  And  here 
goes  for  the  rest ! ' '  And  picking  up  a  crumpled  piece 
of  paper,  she  tossed  it  vigorously  into  the  stove. 
"There,  it's  gone!"  as  the  paper  blazed  up  and 
shriveled  into  ashes.  "Good-bye,  Mrs.  Savin!  I've 
seen  the  last  of  you,  I  hope!  Come,  girls,  dinner's 
ready. ' ' 

And  Eudora  took  the  lesson  to  herself.  She  might 
have  been  perplexed  and  troubled  had  she  given 
thought  the  rein,  and  allowed  it  to  wander  unre- 
strained. For  present  and  future  interests  seemed  im- 
periled by  the  step,  trifling  as  it  seemed,  that  she  had 
taken.  She  had  perhaps  alienated  a  kind  and  good 
friend,  a  friend  whose  help  had  been  invaluable  in  the 


A    CHRISTIAN   OPTIMIST.  IQI 

past,  and  would  be,  possibly,  more  so  in  the  future. 
She  had,  perhaps,  injured  her  sisters'  interests  as  well 
as  her  own,  and,  at  least,  put  in  jeopardy  the  one 
great  pleasure  of  Edna's  life.  This  and  more  she 
might  have  dwelt  upon  and  brooded  over  until  the 
clouds  had  gathered  thick  and  dark  enough  to  cover 
all  the  fair  sky  of  hope.  But  not  so  had  she  learned 
her  lesson. 

"I  did  what  I  considered  right,"  she  thought. 
"And  therefore  I  can  safely  leave  the  result  with  Him 
who  sees  the  end  from  the  beginning,  and  who  will 
manage  everything  for  me  in  the  best  possible 


IQ2  A   BUSINESS   VENTURE;    OR, 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

Gladys  and  Edna  were  all  ready  when  Mr.  Crescent 
called  for  them. 

"L,loyd  had  to  escort  his  mother,"  he  explained. 
"But  they  will  join  us  at  our  meeting-place.  It  is  but 
a  few  blocks  from  here,  so  I  thought  you  would  not 
mind  the  walk." 

Crowds  were  hurrying  in  the  same  direction,  and 
when  the  three  reached  their  destination,  it  was  some- 
what difficult  to  make  their  way  to  the  door.  As  soon 
as  they  had  entered,  it  was  locked  behind  them;  other- 
wise the  surging  crowd  might  possibly  have  forced 
their  way  into  the  building.  In  the  large  bay  window 
in  the  second  story,  were  assembled  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Warringsford,  Mr.  Ernest  with  the  two  children,  and 
Mrs.  Parlot  and  Lloyd.  The  gentlemen  rose  to  greet 
the  girls,  and  to  find  them  comfortable  seats.  Lloyd 
attached  himself  to  Edna,  while  Logan  took  posses- 
sion of  her  other  side.  Mr.  Crescent  seated  Gladys 
beside  Mrs.  Parlot,  and  then  went  over  to  speak  to 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Warringsford,  leaving  Mr.  Ernest  to 
divide  his  attentions  between  Gabrielle — who  was 
looking  extremely  disconsolate — and  the  two  ladies  who 
were  seated  nearest  him.  But  he  seemed  moody  and 
as  though  his  thoughts  were  elsewhere. 

"You  see,"  said  Mr.  Crescent,  returning  to  Gladys, 
"we  might  have  secured  seats  on  that  'Tribune'  below. 
But  Mrs.  Warringsford  preferred  this  more  private 


A  CHRISTIAN   OPTIMIST.  193 

place,  and  I  think  it  is  probably  pleasanter  for  all  of 
you,  unless  for  the  children." 

"This  is  delightful,"  said  Gladys.  "Much  pleas- 
anter than  outside,  according  to  my  ideas." 

"But  I  am  most  sorry  to  find  that  Miss  Kudora  is 
not  of  the  party.  I  supposed  that  we  should  find  her 
here  with  the  Warringsfords.  Was  not  that  the  un- 
derstanding, Miss  Gladys?" 

"I  thought  so  until  yesterday,  Mr.  Crescent,  when 
Eudora  told  us  that  she  did  not  intend  coming.  I  am 
sorry  also,  but — she  must  take  her  own  way,  you 
know." 

The  changed  attitude  of  the  crowd  below,  now  bend- 
ing forward  and  gazing  steadily  in  the  one  direction, 
betokened  the  approach  of  the  procession.  As  the 
fair  Queen,  surrounded  by  her  court  and  her  sixteen 
beautiful  maids  of  honor,  came  in  sight,  the  people 
broke  into  a  wild  cheer,  handkerchiefs  and  flags  were 
waved,  while  the  Queen  bowed  right  and  left  in  recog- 
nition of  the  honor  paid  her.  Then  followed  the 
United  States  Marines  and  National  Guard — after- 
wards Chinese,  Indians,  the  Fire  department,  Cabal- 
leros,  prosperity  floats,  et  cetera,  et  cetera. 

It  was,  indeed,  a  fine  affair,  and  well  worth  seeing. 

"Notice  this  Chinese  part  of  the  parade,"  said  Mr. 
Crescent,  as  the  immense  dragon  came  slowly  in  sight, 
set  off  with  the  shimmer  of  silver,  the  glimmer  of  gold 
and  the  glitter  of  steel,  together  with  the  sparkle  of 
real  jewels.  "The  Chinese  are  in  earnest  in  every- 
thing they  do.  That  brightness  and  glitter  is  due  to 
no  tinsel  paper  or  other  pretensions — all  is  solid  and 
real,  just  as  it  appears." 


194  A   BUSINESS   VKNTURK;    OR, 

"It  seems  to  me,"  remarked  Gladys,  "that  the 
Chinese  are  rather  popular  in  L,os  Angeles.  I  had 
quite  the  opposite  idea  before  coming  here. ' ' 

"It  is  a  common  mistake  of  Eastern  people  that  the 
Chinaman  is  not  wanted  in  California.  He  is  popu- 
lar— in  L,os  Angeles  at  least,  as  far  as  my  observation 
extends.  And  justly  so,  for  he  is  quiet  and  respectful 
in  behavior,  attending  strictly  to  his  own  business, 
though  taking  an  interest  in  all  that  concerns  the 
prosperity  of  the  city  of  his  adoption.  See  with  what 
dignity  those  men  are  walking  beside  their  dragon, 
and  what  a  fine  appearance  they  make  in  their  gor- 
geous silken  robes.  I  tell  you,  Miss  Gladys,  L,os 
Angeles  would  be  badly  off  without  her  Chinese  popu- 
lation, and  I^os  Angeles  has  the  sense  to  understand 
that,  and  to  treat  them  decently." 

"Yes,  they  seem  very  happy  here,"  replied  Gladys. 
"I  am  really  getting  quite  to  like  our  vegetable  and 
fruit  Chinaman.  He  seems  to  take  an  interest  in  our 
welfare,  and  often  advises  us  as  to  what  vegetables  or 
fruit  he  considers  it  most  advantageous  for  us  to  buy. 
He  particularly  likes  Edna,  whom  he  evidently  regards 
as  a  mere  child,  and  when  she  is  not  around,  he  asks. 
'Where  little  Missee?  She  got  sense,  little  Missee, 
she  have.'  Which  does  not  sound  very  nattering  to 
Eudora  and  myself,  but  I  have  no  idea  he  means  to 
make  comparisons;  he  only  wishes  to  show  his  parti- 
ality for  Edna." 

The  procession  was  long  in  passing.  But  so  varied 
was  it,  that  there  was  no  fatigue  from  monotony. 
The  mixture  of  races  and  nationalities  taking  part 
therein,  gave  a  flavor  of  originality  to  the  whole,  ren- 


A   CHRISTIAN   OPTIMIST.  195 

deling  it  entirely  distinct  from  ordinary  processions, 
so  that,  from  first  to  last,  the  interest  was  sustained, 
especially  with  those  to  whom  the  sight  was  a  novel  one. 

After  all  was  over,  full  an  hour  elapsed  before  the 
streets  were  sufficiently  cleared  to  make  them  com- 
fortable  for  walking.  A  general  social  time  was  there- 
fore indulged  in,  Mrs.  Parlot  'being,  as  usual,  the 
life  of  the  party,  ably  seconded  by  Edna  and  Mr. 
Crescent.  Mr.  Warringsford  had  been  obliged  to 
leave  at  once,  pleading  an  engagement.  The  re- 
mainder of  those  present  were  mostly  silent,  listening 
to  the  lively  conversation  of  the  others.  Gladys  had 
her  own  reasons  for  not  being  gay,  though  she  made 
strenuous  efforts  to  overcome  her  gloom,  and  by  her 
enjoyment  of  the  scene  to  prove  to  her  friends  that 
their  kindness  was  appreciated.  She  succeeded,  in  so 
far  that  none  but  Mr.  Crescent  and  Edna  suspected 
anything  amiss.  That  gentleman's  deep  and  growing 
interest  in  all  concerning  her,  gave  him  a  clearness  of 
vision  causing  him  to  penetrate  beneath  the  surface; 
and  apprehend  the  real  gloom  underlying  the  appa- 
rent brightness.  Mrs.  Warringsford  also  was  more 
silent  than  usual,  though  never  anything  but  kind, 
friendly,  and  considerate  to  all.  She  had  given  many 
furtive  glances  at  her  son,  while  the  procession  was 
passing,  and  with  a  mother's  quickness  of  perception, 
had  drawn  her  own  conclusions — conclusions,  however, 
not  entirely  correct. 

Before  the  party  separated,  the  evening's  programme 
was  arranged.  They  were  all  to  meet  at  Mrs.  War- 
ringsford's  about  seven  o'clock,  and  proceed  in  a  body 
to  the  Pavilion — a  large  public  building — where  a 


196  A   BUSINESS   VENTURE  ;    OR, 

grand  concert  was  to  be  given.  "  And  where  people 
do  not  go  so  much  for  the  music,"  said  Mr.  Crescent, 
"as  for  the  sight  of  the  assembled  multitude,  the 
Queen  and  her  court,  and  for  the  general  scenic  dis- 
play." 

When  the  girls  arrived  at  home,  Eudora  was  already 
there,  preparing  dinner;  for  her  sisters  had  had  only  a 
hasty  luncheon,  she  was  sure,  and  would  be  likely  to 
need  their  dinner  earlier  than  usual. 

"Why,  Eudora,"  exclaimed  Edna,  "we  had  no  idea 
you  would  be  home  by  this  time!  And  it  looks  as  if 
you  had  been  here  quite  a  while,  to  judge  by  the  ad- 
vanced state  of  the  dinner. ' ' 

"My  sewing  gave  out,"  replied  Eudora;  "so  there 
was  nothing  to  do  but  to  come  home.  I  have  been 
here  nearly  an  hour.  I  hope  you  have  had  a  lovely 
time." 

' ' Perfectly  splendid, ' '  replied  Edna.  ' ' You  ought  to 
have  been  there,  Eudora.  I  was  just  wishing  for  you 
all  the  time." 

"That  was  very  kind  of  you,"  said  her  sister,  smil- 
ingly. "But  I  had  an  excellent  view  of  the  proces- 
sion, and  feel  entirely  satisfied." 

"Each  one  to  her  taste,"  said  Edna  shrugging  her 
shoulders.  "I  hope  you  are  going  with  us  to-night, 
though.  There  is  such  a  thing  as  carrying  eccen- 
tricity too  far. ' ' 

Eudora  laughed  heartily,  and  even  Gladys  joined  in. 

"This  is  a  new  accusation,  Edna.  I  was  not  aware 
that  you  considered  me  eccentric!  But  I  shall  try  to 
prove  to  you  that  it  is  a  false  accusation,  by  assuring 
you  that  it  is  my  fixed  intention  to  accompany  you  all 


A    CHRISTIAN   OPTIMIST.  197 

to-night.     Does  that  remove  the  suspicion  from  your 
mind?" 

"Well,  it  is  doing  better,  I  admit.  I  hope  you  will 
keep  it  up.  But  since  we  are  having  dinner  so  early, 
girls,  there  will  be  a  full  hour  after  it,  before  it  will  be 
time  to  get  ready  for  the  concert.  And  I  want  you 
both  to  turn  in  and  give  me  some  help. ' ' 

"At  what,  if  you  please,  ma'am?"  asked  Kudora, 
jestingly. 

"Well,  you  know,  Mr.  Crescent  said  that  yesterday 
would  be  my  harvest  day.  I  did  sell  a  good  deal  more 
than  usual.  But  I  heard  several  ladies  speak  of  bring- 
ing friends  to  see  the  mosses  and  pressed  flowers,  and 
as  I  am  nearly  out  of  them,  I  thought  if  we  three  set 
to  work  diligently,  we  might  make  quite  an  assort- 
ment in  an  hour;  especially  of  the  mosses,  of  which  I 
have  plenty  ready  pressed.  They  sell  better  than  the 
flowers,  though  I  have  sold  a  good  many  of  those 
too." 

Gladys  and  Eudora  expressed  their  willingness  to 
help,  and  after  a  rather  hurried  dinner,  all  set  earnestly 
to  work.  At  the  end  of  an  hour,  a  dozen  beautiful  cards 
rewarded  their  labors — all  more  or  less  different,  ac- 
cording to  their  several  tastes,  Gladys  taking  the  lead 
in  artistic  designs.  Edna  was  more  than  pleased  with 
the  result. 

"There's  so  much  money  in  my  pocket,"  she  said, 
as  she  surveyed  the  fine  row  of  cards,  large  and  small, 
before  her.  "It  is  about  so  much  clear  gain.  That's 
the  beauty  of  it." 

At  half-past  seven,  all  were  assembled  in  Mrs.  War- 
ringsford's  parlor,  with  the  exception  of  Mr.  War- 


198  A   BUSINESS   VENTURE;    OR, 

ringsford,  who  had  not  returned,  and,  of  course,  of 
Mrs.  Parlot  and  L,loyd,  who  were  to  join  them  at  the 
Pavilion. 

"We  need  not  be  in  any  special  hurry,"  said  Mr. 
Crescent,  "as  we  have  reserved  seats.  A  quarter  of 
an  hour  hence  will  be  time  enough." 

Gabrielle  had  been  hanging  about  her  father,  beg- 
ging him  to  allow  her  to  accompany  the  party;  but  he 
remained  firm  in  his  refusal. 

"I  will  not  take  you  out  at  night  into  such  a  crowd, 
daughter,"  he  said,  "so  it  is  useless  teasing  about 
it.  Home  is  the  only  proper  place  for  twelve-year- 
old  girls." 

"But,  papa,  you  said  you  would  take  me  to  lots  of 
places,"  she  sobbed  out. 

"So  I  did,  Gabrielle.  And  so  I  will — in  the  day- 
time; but  not  at  night.  So  say  no  more  about  it, 
little  daughter." 

Gabrielle  was  too  well  trained  not  to  obey,  but  she 
sobbed  bitterly,  and  was  about  leaving  the  room,  when 
Kudora,  drawing  the  distressed  child  to  her.  side,  with 
a  few  wrhispered  words  calmed  the  outburst,  and  soon 
restored  her  to  composure. 

"The  cars  will  take  us  within  a  few  steps  of  the 
Pavilion,"  said  Mr.  Ernest.  "A  carriage  is  hardly  safe 
amid  such  crowds.  I  suppose,  Mr.  Crescent,  it  is 
about  time  for  us  to  leave. ' ' 

It  was  natural  that  the  son  should  give  his  arm  to 
his  mother,  his  father  being  absent.  Eudora  followed 
with  Edna,  while  Gladys  brought  up  the  rear  with 
Mr.  Crescent — through  no  design  of  her  own,  but 
simply  because  that  gentleman  took  it  as  a  matter  of 


A  CHRISTIAN  OPTIMIST.  199 

course,  and  she  was  too  kind-hearted  to  disappoint 
him,  and  too  really  indifferent  at  present  to  care,  on 
her  own  account,  one  way  or  another. 

When  they  entered,  the  hall  was  already  crowded  to 
its  utmost  capacity,  gallery  included.  Mr.  Ernest  had 
explained  that  their  seats  were  not  all  in  a  row,  but 
that  he  had  been  obliged  to  take  three  in  one  row,  and 
three  in  another,  while  Mrs.  Parlot  and  Lloyd  had 
two  near  by.  Seating  his  mother,  it  was  then  most 
natural  to  hand  Kudora  in  next,  after  which  there  was 
nothing  to  be  done  but  to  seat  himself  beside  her. 
Gladys  and  Edna  and  Mr.  Crescent  had  already 
entered  the  seats  back  of  them.  Mrs.  Warringsford 
seemed  much  pleased  with  the  way  matters  were  ar- 
ranged. 

"I  am  so  glad  to  have  you  beside  me,  dear,"  she 
whispered.  "I  almost  felt  to-day  that  you  wanted  to 
give  us  the  slip.  I  quite  missed  you." 

" Thank  you,  Mrs.  Warringsford,"  replied  Eudora, 
with  rather  a  sinking  of  heart.  "It  is  very  good  of 
you  to  want  me  with  you,  and  I  am  happy  to  be  with 
you,  I  assure  you." 

There  was  no  time  for  more,  as  the  music  began, 
continuing  with  only  one  interval  until  the  close. 
Meantime  Edna  was  going  through  her  own  experi- 
ence. Exactly  behind  her  and  Gladys  were  seated 
Mrs.  Savin  and  Laura.  They  had  come  in  after 
Edna's  entrance,  and  had  not  as  yet  perceived  her. 

"Laura,  do  look,"  said  her  mother  in  a  loud 
whisper,  which  Edna  heard  even  above  the  music. 
"Is  not  that  Mrs.  Warringsford  from  New  York?" 


200  A    BUSINESS   VENTURE;    OR, 

"I'm  sure  I  don't  know,  mamma.  Who  is  Mrs. 
Warringsford  ?" 

"Why,  Laura,  you  must  surely  have  heard  of  her. 
She  was  at  the  very  tip-top  of  New  York  society  a  few 
years  ago.  I  remember  now  hearing  of  her  coming  to 
Los  Angeles.  I  wonder  who  that  pretty,  stylish-look- 
ing girl  is  beside  her — "  as  Kudora  turned  towards 
Mrs.  Warringsford. 

But,  just  then,  Edna,  who  knew  that  Laura  would 
recognize  her  sooner  or  later,  and  the  more  said  .the 
worse  it  would  be,  turned  around  and  smiled  at  her 
friend,  though  feeling  somewhat  confused. 

"Edna,"  exclaimed  Laura,  in  a  delighted  whisper, 
"I  am  so  glad!"  And  she  was  about  to  say  more, 
when  her  mother  interposed. 

"Attend  to  the  music,  my  dear.  Good  evening, 
Miss  Grayston;  I  am  sorry  Laura  cannot  talk  with 
you  further,  but  it  will  not  do  to  interfere  with  other 
people's  enjoyment."  Which  was,  of  course,  true; 
but  it  was  a  little  strange  she  had  not  thought  of  it 
sooner. 

Half  an  hour  passed,  and  Mrs.  Savin,  who  had  been 
making  her  own  observations,  and  had  noticed  Edna 
leaning  forward  and  speaking  to  Eudora,  now  said  to 
Laura,  in  a  very  low  whisper:  "Who  is  she  with,  my 
dear?" 

"I  suppose,  with  that  lady  you  were  speaking 
about,"  replied  Laura,  in  the  same  guarded  tone. 
"That  is  one  of  her  sisters  sitting  beside  Mrs.  War- 
ringsford." 

"Beside  Mrs.  Warringsford!"  said  Mrs.  Savin,  un- 


A    CHRISTIAN   OPTIMIST.  2OI 

consciously  raising  her  voice  in  her  excitement.  "Not 
possible,  my  dear." 

Laura  nudged  her  mother  forcibly,  but  Edna  had 
already  heard. 

As  soon  as  the  twenty  minutes'  interval  was  an- 
nounced, Mrs.  Savin  leaned  forward  to  Gladys,  who 
was  seated  next  to  Edna. 

"Miss  Grayston,  do  pray  excuse  me  for  not  recog- 
nizing you  sooner.  But  you  are  all  so  grown  and  im- 
proved. And  is  that  your  sister  Miss  Eudora  ?  What 
a  beautiful  girl  she  is!  I  moist  really  manage  to  speak 
to  her  before  we  leave. ' ' 

Now,  Gladys  had  not  caught  any  of  the  conversa- 
tion going  on  behind  her,  and  was,  therefore,  much 
surprised  at  Mrs.  Savin's  cordiality. 

"Edna  misjudged  her,"  she  thought.  "What  an 
imagination  that  child  has!" 

So  Gladys  responded  with  even  more  cordiality  than 
was  usual  with  her;  as  a  kind  of  compensation  for 
the  injustice  she  felt  they  had  all  been  doing  to  Mrs. 
Savin. 

Meanwhile,  Laura  and  Edna  had  been  improving 
the  time  by  getting  in  as  many  words  in  a  limited 
space  as  girls  usually  do. 

"I  am  so  sorry  I  cannot  go  to  see  you  again,"  said 
Laura,  regretfully:  "but  we  leave  on  Saturday,  and 
mamma  says  we  have  so  many  engagements. ' '  Just 
then,  noticing  her  mother  in  close  and  apparently  cor- 
dial conversation  with  Gladys,  it  struck  her  that  pos- 
sibly matters  were  now  altered — for  even  the  most 
unworldly  child  is  apt  to  have  an  apprehension,  though 
perhaps  not  a  comprehension,  of  the  worldly  mother's 


202  A   BUSINESS   VENTURE;    OR, 

motives  for  caution.  "But  I  will  ask  her  again, 
Edna." 

Mrs.  Savin,  who  seemed  to  have  ears  in  all  direc- 
tions, caught  at  the  words,  and,  turning  to  Edna, 
said:  "Certainly,  Miss  Edna;  she  shall  go  to  see  you 
before  leaving.  She  is  engaged  every  afternoon  and 
evening — but  she  can  go  in  the  morning,  and  I  shall 
see  that  she  does  so. ' ' 

And  I^aura,  accustomed  to  her  mother's  sudden 
change  of  plans,  cared  only  for  the  fact  that  the  in- 
terdict against  communication  with  her  friend  was  re- 
moved, and  rejoiced  accordingly. 

"I  can  come  to-morrow,  I  know  I  can,"  she  said 
gleefully.  Then  the  music  re-commenced,  and  con- 
versation ceased. 

When  the  concert  was  ended,  Mrs.  Savin  made  an 
effort  to  speak  with  Eudora;  but  being  delayed  by 
persons  at  the  end  of  the  row,  the  lady  could  not 
reach  her  in  time,  much  to  her  vexation,  as  she  had 
hoped  through  her  means  to  procure  an  introduction 
to  Mrs.  Warringsford.  Edna  might  easily  have  man- 
aged to  detain  Eudora,  being  close  to  her,  but  she 
made  no  attempt  to  do  so,  guessing  instinctively  at 
Mrs.  Savin's  motives. 


A   CHRISTIAN   OPTIMIST.  203 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

When  the  girls  returned  home — Edna,  of  course,  re- 
turning with  Mrs.  Warringsford — Gladys  gave  Eudora 
an  account  of  her  meeting  with  Mrs.  Savin;  and  Edna 
not  being  present  to  give  her  own  version  of  the 
affair,  both  sisters  felt  that  she  had — though,  doubt- 
less, unintentionally — misrepresented  Mrs.  Savin. 
Had  there  been  no  sequel,  there  might  long  have 
lingered  in  their  minds  a  doubt  in  regard  to  Edna's 
entire  reliability  as  a  faithful  narrator  of  events. 
Upon  such  slender  grounds  is  sometimes  a  character 
gained  or  lost. 

"Mr.  Ernest  and  you  did  not  seem  to  have  much 
to  say  to  each  other,"  remarked  Gladys,  with  a  keen 
look  at  her  sister. 

"No,  I  think  neither  of  us  was  disposed  to  conver- 
sation, "replied  Eudora,  calmly.  And  Gladys  said  no 
more. 

Next  morning,  Edna  ran  in,  full  of  eagerness  to 
tell  her  story.  Breakfast  was  ready  before  she  could 
begin,  and  as  they  sat  down,  Gladys  said  somewhat 
severely,  "Edna,  see  where  3rour  imagination  carried 
you!  Mrs.  Savin  was  simply  charming  to  me  last 
night.  I  never  saw  her  more  so  in  our  palmiest  days. 
She  wanted  to  insist  upon  sending  a  carriage  round 
to  take  us  driving  this  morning,  and  afterwards  to 
have  lunch  with  them  at  their  hotel.  Of  course  I 
had  to  tell  her  we  were  all  engaged  in  the  morning, 
and  she  seemed  really  disappointed,  and  wras  just  as 


204  A    BUSINESS   VKNTURK;    OR, 

lovely  as  possible.  I  do  wish,  Edna,  that  for  the 
future  you  would  curb  your  imagination,  and  not  see 
things  which  have  no  existence  in  reality!  " 

"Do  you?  "  retorted  Edna,  a  mixture  of  indignation 
and  triumph  sparkling  in  her  eyes.  "Do  you,  indeed  ? 
And  is  that  your  opinion  also,  Miss  Eudora?  "  in  the 
most  sarcastic  manner  possible. 

"I  know  you  did  not  mean  it,  dear,"  replied  her 
sister,  kindly  but  firmly.  "Still,  I  agree  with  Gladys, 
that  it  is  best  not  to  give  reins  to  one's  imagination, 
as  it  is  apt  to  lead  one  beyond  the  actual  facts,  and 
at  least  to  verge  upon  untruthf ulness. ' ' 

Indignation  had  for  the  moment  the  upper  hand  of 
triumph. 

'  'You  might  as  well  both  of  you  inform  me  that  I 
told  lies!  "  she  burst  forthwith.  "Just  as  well!  And 
I  have  the  greatest  mind  in  the  world  not  to  tell  you 
what  I  intended — " 

She  paused,  and  angry  tears  welled  up  in  her  eyes. 
Only  for  the  moment,  however.  Edna  was  really 
good-tempered,  though  quick — besides,  she  held  the 
winning  card,  and  this  knowledge,  as  is  usually  the 
case,  exercised  a  decidedly  soothing  influence.  So, 
after  a  minute,  during  which  time  both  sisters  had  an 
uncomfortable  feeling  that  they  had  been  too  severe, 
Edna  blinked  back  the  tears,  took  a  drink  of  water, 
then  said: 

"Well,  girls,  I  do  think  you  are  both  very  hard  on 
me,  without  any  reason,  either.  I  had  a  great  mind 
not  to  tell  you  anything  about  it — but  I  will — and 
then  see  who's  right — you  or  I!  " 

So  the  whole  story  came  out.  As  it  proceeded,  it 
was  impossible  not  to  perceive  the  motives  actuating 


A   CHRISTIAN   OPTIMIST.  205 

Mrs.  Savin,  convicted  as  she  was  out  of  her  own 
mouth.  Eudora's  surprise,  and  Gladys'  indignation 
and  disgust,  were  all  that  Kdna  could  desire,  and  her 
triumph  was  complete. 

"It  is  too  bad  we  misjudged  you  so,  Ducksie,"  said 
Gladys*.  ' '  But  you  must  own  that  appearances  were 
against  you,  and  even  your  meek  Eudora  blamed 
you." 

"Yes,  I  did  indeed,  little  sister.  But  it  has  taught 
me  a  lesson  which  I  hope  never  to  forget." 

"What  lesson,  if  you  please,  ma'am?"  asked  Edna, 
with  mock  humility. 

"  'Judge  not,'  "  replied  Eudora.  "That  is  one  of 
our  dear  Teacher's  lessons.  I  don't  yet  know  it  by 
heart,  but  I  will,  sooner  or  later;  and  what  has  now 
happened  will  be  a  big  stepping-stone  in  that  upward 
direction.  So  be  comforted,  little  sister;  and  look  at 
the  bright  side  of  this  disagreeable  affair." 

"Well,"  said  Edna,  slowly,  "it's  all  right,  of  course, 
Eudora,  and  I'm  glad  if  I  have  been  a  help  to  you. 
All  the  same,"  and  there  was  a  roguish  twinkle  in 
her  eye — "it  was  pretty  hard  on  the  stepping-stone!" 

About  ten  that  morning,  Laura  Savin  alighted  from 
an  elegant  carriage,  and  ran  smiling  into  the  store. 

"Just  think,"  she  said,  after  greetings  had  been 
exchanged,  "I  can  stay  two  hours,  if  I  won't  be  in 
your  way,  and  we  can  keep  store  together.  Won't  it 
be  fun?" 

"Yes,  indeed,  Laura.  And,  of  course,  you  won't 
be  in  the  way." 

'  "Then  I  must  send  back  the  carriage,  and  tell  the 
man  to  call  for  me  at  noon." 


206  A    BUSINESS   VENTURE  J    OR, 

A  charming  two  hours  the  friends  had  together.  A 
number  of  strangers  dropped  in,  and  the  sight  of  those 
bright,  merry  girls,  who  looked  as  though  they  were 
playing  at  store-keeping,  loosened  more  than  one 
purse-string,  inducing  purchases  where  none  had  been 
intended. 

"Isn't  it  fun  keeping  store!"  exclaimed  L,aura,  more 
than  once.  "What  a  lot  of  money  you  must  have, 
Edna!  Why,  you  have  gained  more  than  ten  dollars 
since  I  have  been  here." 

"Yes,  but  it  is  not  all  clear  gain,"  replied  Edna. 

And  she  thereupon  explained  to  her  friend  some- 
thing of  the  interior  workings  of  business,  making  her 
understand  that  what  the  article  had  cost  them  must 
be  deducted  from  the  price  paid  them  for  it. 

"O,  that's  too  bad,  said  L,aura,  who  had  really 
never  given  the  matter  a  thought.  "Why  don't  you 
charge  more,  then?" 

"I  am  afraid,  in  that  case,  our  customers  would  all 
leave  us,  and  go  where  they  could  get  cheaper  goods." 

"O,  well,  but  I  think  it's  fun  anyway.  At  least  I 
should,  if  I  could  be  always  with  you.  I  forgot  to  tell 
you  that  mamma  was  coming  with  me  this  morning, 
to  see  if  she  could  not  persuade  you  to  change  your 
mind,  and  at  least  one  of  you  to  go  out  driving  with 
us;  but  company  came  in,  and  I  had  to  leave  without 
her.  She  said  she  would  be  here  to-morrow  morning, 
though.  So  I  shall  see  you  again,  at  any  rate,  you 
darling  girl." 

"I  am  so  glad,  Laura.  It  almost  seems  as  if  we  were 
home  in  New  York  again,  to  have  you  here." 

"I'd  be  perfectly  satisfied  to  stay  here   and   keep 


A   CHRISTIAN   OPTIMIST.  207 

store  with  you  all  winter,  and  I  only  wish  I  could. 
But,  Edna,  arn't  you  going  to  the  athletic  games  and 
races  in  the  park  this  afternoon?" 

''No,  we  are  not  going,  I^aura.  Mr.  Warringsford 
said  he  did  not  think  we  would  care  much  for  that 
exhibition.  But  we  are  going  to-night,  of  course." 

"O,  of  course,  that  will  be  the  finest  sight  of  all, 
they  say.  But  what  has  Mr.  Warringsford  to  do  with 
your  proceedings?"  asked  L,aura,  remembering  her 
mother's  injunction  to  find  out  whatever  she  could  as 
to  her  friend's  connection  with  the  Warringsfords. 
"Are  you  going  with  him?" 

"The  Warringsfords  live  next  door,"  replied  Edna, 
not  displeased  to  be  able  to  add,  '  'and  are  our  most  inti- 
mate friends  here. ' ' 

"O!"  said  L,aura,  who  really  cared  little  for  such 
things  herself,  though  mentally  making  a  note  for  her 
mother's  benefit.  "Do  you  go  everywhere  with 
them?" 

"They  are  very  kind  in  taking  us  out  with  them 
wherever  they  think  we  would  like  to  go,"  replied 
Edna,  who,  to  do  her  justice,  cared  as  little  as  her 
friend,  under  ordinary  circumstances. 

And  so  their  conversation  went  on,  interrupted  oc- 
casionally by  customers,  until  the  two  hours  were 
ended,  and  the  friends  parted,  with  the  understanding 
that  they  would  meet  on  the  morrow. 

In  the  evening,  all  met  as  before  at  Mrs.  Warrings- 
ford's.  Mr.  Ernest  had  consented  that  Gabrielle  and 
even  little  lyOgan  might  go  upon  this  occasion,  it  being 
a  sight  peculiarly  delightful  to  children,  and  one  which 
they  would  never  forget,  should  circumstances  prevent 


208  A   BUSINESS  VENTURE;   OR, 

their  ever  seeing  it  again.  Mrs.  Warringsford  ex- 
cused herself,  pleading  fatigue,  but  saying  that  Mrs. 
Parlot  would  be  her  representative  at  the  meeting- 
place. 

Naturally,  Mr.  Krnest  took  lyOgan  in  charge.  The 
child  begged  that  Kdna  would  take  his  other  hand, 
and  the  request  being  seconded  by  his  father,  Bdna, 
nothing  loth,  complied.  Gabrielle  constituted  herself 
Kudora's  companion,  and  there  was  nothing  to  do  but 
for  Gladys  to  follow  with  Mr.  Crescent — an  arrange- 
ment which,  unlike  many  such  arrangements,  suited 
all  parties  exactly.  Kdna,  however,  had  a  kind  of 
feeling  that  she  was  usurping  Kudora's  place,  and  that 
Mr.  Krnest  was  not  quite  pleased  in  consequence — an 
idea  suggested  by  that  gentleman's  expression  of 
countenance,  which  appeared  to  her  even  sterner  than 
usual.  But  she  was  slightly  mistaken  as  to  its  cause. 

The  pageant,  "The  L,ands  of  the  Sun,"  was  grand 
indeed.  The  brilliantly  illuminated  chariots,  temples, 
pagodas,  gondolas,  the  white  elephant,  the  Car  of 
Juggernaut,  the  Queen,  of  Sheba  appearing  before 
Solomon,  the  carrying  off  of  Helen,  Belshazzar's  feast, 
the  Sphinx,  the  Fire  Worshipers,  and  other  designs, 
were  produced  in  such  magnificance  and  with  so  much 
attention  to  detail,  as  not  only  to  be  beautiful  to  the 
eye,  but  valuable  as  object-lessons  to  young  and  old. 

"To-morrow  will  be  the  children's  parade,"  said 
Mr.  Crescent  on  their  way  home.  '  'A  procession  of 
all  the  children  belonging  to  the  public  schools  pass  in 
review  before  the  Queen.  There  are  some  special  exer- 
cises, and  I  believe  each  school  is  presented  with  a  flag 
by  the  president  of  L-a  Fiesta.  I  hardly  think  you 


A   CHRISTIAN   OPTIMIST.  209 

will  particularly  care  for  this  spectacle,  but  if  you  have 
the  slightest  desire  to  witness  it,  pray  command  me — 
I  am  entirely  at  your  service. ' ' 

Gladys  assured  him  she  had  no  such  desire,  and  Mr. 
Crescent  continued,  "then  this  ends  our  programme 
until  Saturday,  as  you  will  probably  not  care  to  see 
the  display  of  fireworks  at  one  of  the  parks,  and  I  am 
very  sure  you  will  not  wish  to  attend  the  Queen's  ball 
at  a  later  hour. ' ' 

"Hardly,"  said  Gladys.  "But,  Mr.  Crescent,  we 
have  much  enjoyed  what  we  have  seen,  and  are  very 
grateful  for  all  the  trouble  you  have  taken  to  give  us 
pleasure. ' ' 

And  Edna  joined  in  the  thanks,  though  she  felt 
as  if  she  might  have  been  consulted  as  to  her  wishes 
in  the  matter.  The  next  morning  at  breakfast  she 
said: 

"I  just  think  it  is  too  bad  Mr.  Ernest  did  not  invite 
me  to  go  with  him  and  the  children  to  see  the  parade 
this  afternoon.  But  he  didn't,  so  there!  Of  course, 
though,  you'll  say  it  is  all  for  the  best,  Eudora." 

"Of  course  I  shall,"  replied  her  sister,  smilingly. 
"I  have  not  the  slightest  doubt  of  it,  Edna;  but  I  am 
sorry  for  your  disappointment." 

"There  is  one  thing,"  said  Edna,  "I  shall  see  Laura 
this  morning.  But  I  am  afraid  her  mother  will  be 
with  her.  That  will  spoil  all.  And  I  really  don't 
know  what  to  say  to  her  if  she  insists  on  our  going 
driving  with  her,  or  lunching,  or  this,  that  and  the 
other!  Things  are  awfully  contrary  in  this  world 
sometimes,  whatever  you  may  say,  Eudora." 

"Don't  worry  over  them  until  they  actually  come, 


210  A   BUSINESS   VENTURE;    OK, 

at  any  rate,"  said  her  sister.  "It  is  a  bad  plan  to 
cross  your  bridge  before  you  come  to  it.  We  magnify 
our  troubles  ten- fold  by  going  over  and  over  them  in 
imagination,  either  before  or  after  they  occur.  I 
speak  from  experience,  for  I  well  remember  what  I 
used  to  suffer  in  that  way.  And  now,  how  much  hap- 
pier I  am  since  I  have  committed  all  my  interests, 
past,  present  and  future,  into  the  hands  of  our  dear 
Heavenly  Father,  who  understands  all  about  it,  and 
will  manage  everything  in  the  very  best  way  for  His 
obedient,  trusting  children." 

It  was  more  for  Gladys  than  for  Kdna  that  Hudora 
thus  spoke.  The  trouble,  which  of  late  had  appeared 
to  be  subsiding,  seemed  now  again  to  be  getting  the 
upper  hand,  and  the  past  night  had  been  one  of  the 
worst  yet  spent.  She  now  arose  abruptly  and  left  the 
room. 

"Is  Gladys  worse?"  asked  Edna,  in  alarm,  as  she 
noticed  for  the  first  time  her  sister's  appearance  when 
leaving.  The  real  dread  chased  instantly  all  imaginary 
troubles  away. 

"She  was  restless  again  last  night,  and  seems  more 
unhappy  than  has  been  the  case  of  late.  But  we  must 
still  keep  praying  and  trusting,  dear,  and  sooner  or 
later  all  will  be  right  again." 

"O,  dear!"  sighed  Kdna.  "This  is  worse  than  any- 
thing. I  remember  once  when  I  was  grumbling  about 
something,  Mademoiselle  told  me  that  if  I  fretted 
about  nothing,  I  should  soon  have  something  real  to 
fret  about.  And  I  just  believe  it's  true!  But  there 
goes  the  store  door.  It  is  pretty  early  for  customers, 
though  the  more  the  better." 


A   CHRISTIAN   OPTIMIST.  211 

So  saying,  she  hastened  away,  and  before  long 
found  herself  in  the  midst  of  a  stream  of  business. 
This  was  the  very  busiest  morning  she  had  yet  had, 
and  her  sales  were  many  and  remunerative.  At  odd 
times  within  the  past  two  days,  the  girls  had  all 
helped  in  adding  to  their  stock  of  mosses,  shells  and 
pressed  flowers,  and  Edna's  pile  of  money  grew  apace. 
But  no  Laura  made  her  appearance.  Late  in  the 
afternoon,  the  postman  brought  a  note  from  her,  stat- 
ing that  her  mother  having  received  a  telegram  an- 
nouncing the  serious  illness  of  her  father,  they  were 
obliged  to  leave  at  once,  and  were  to  start  within  the 
hour  for  home.  The  note  was  hasty,  but  loving,  and 
Edna  felt  both  disappointed  and  relieved. 

"Eudora  was  right,"  she  thought.  "It  was  no  use 
to  worry.  Perhaps  I'll  remember  the  lesson  another 
time." 

In  the  afternoon  she  was  again  busy  with  customers, 
for  there  were  many  who  did  not  care  specially  to  wit- 
ness the  athletic  sports;  so  that,  before  the  day  ended, 
she  had  ample  cause  for  being  glad  that  she  had  kept 
the  store  open. 

Next  morning  at  breakfast,  Edna  said: 

"Eudora,  Mrs.  Warringsford  asked  me  to  tell  you, 
with  her  love — I  want  to  get  it  exactly  right — that  she 
requests  the  pleasure  of  your  company  this  afternoon 
at  the  grand  flower  parade,  and  that  she  will  be  much 
disappointed — no,  greatly  disappointed,  if  you  should 
refuse  her  invitation.  There!  I  think  I  have  given 
the  message  correctly. ' ' 

"Mrs.  Warringsford  is  very  kind,"  replied  Eudora, 
"and  I  shall  be  happy  to  accept  her  invitation," 


212  A  BUSINESS  VENTURE;  OR, 

"Well,  I  am  glad,  but  rather  surprised,"  said  Edna, 
who  was  in  one  of  her  pert  moods,  "for  you  have 
been  so  queer  of  late  that  I  had  no  idea  whether  you 
would  accept  or  not.  Perhaps  you  and  Gladys  are 
both  coming  to  your  senses  at  last.  The  sooner  the 
better." 

As  usual,  Edna  was  sorry  the  moment  she  had  ut- 
tered her  heedless  speech.  Gladys  changed  color,  and 
almost  immediately  left  the  room.  Eudora  gave  her  sis- 
ter a  reproachful  look,  though  not  on  her  own  account, 
and  Edna,  smitten  with  remorse  for  Gladys'  sake,  re- 
solved, as  had  been  the  case  so  many,  many  times  be- 
fore, that  she  would  be  more  careful  in  future. 


A   CHRISTIAN   OPTIMIST.  213 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

About  half  past  one  o'clock,  all  met  as  before  at 
Mrs.  Warringsford's.  Mr.  Krnest  this  time  took 
charge  of  both  children,  leaving  Kudora  to  escort  his 
mother,  while  Gladys  and  Edna  fell  to  Mr.  Crescent's 
care.  Kdna  privately  hoped  that  Logan  would  again 
claim  her,  but  he  did  not;  she  had  therefore  the  un- 
comfortable feeling  of  being  one  of  the  three  which 
makes  no  company,  herself  the  "no  company"  one. 
However,  all  was  forgotten  when  they  were  fairly 
seated — with  I4oyd  in  devoted  attendance — and  the 
grand  parade  began  to  pass  before  their  delighted  eyes. 
This  was  worth  all  the  other  sights  put  together — so 
the  adults  of  the  party  declared — the  children's  pref- 
erence was  for  the  more  gaudy  pageant,  the  "I^ands 
of  the  Sun. ' ' 

Words  are  inadequate  to  describe  the  spectacle. 
Nowhere  else  could  such  a  scene  be  witnessed.  The 
extraordinary  profusion  of  flowers  of  every  variety — 
chariots,  trains,  horses,  coaches,  buggies,  bicycles,  ve- 
hicles of  every  form  and  description,  so  smothered  in 
roses,  lilies,  tulips,  pansies,  daisies,  smilax,  in  fact, 
flowers  and  vines  of  every  kind,  that  nothing  could 
be  seen  of  their  frame- work,  even  the  wheels,  in  many 
cases  being  concealed  by  myrtle.  Squads  of  children, 
almost  hidden  in  a  mass  of  colors,  horsemen  dressed 
in  green,  purple  and  red  blossoms,  while  some  of  the 
vehicles  were  devoted  solely  to  one  color  or  flower,  the 
conceit  extending  even  to  the  driver' s  necktie  and  whip, 


214  A   BUSINESS   VENTURE;    OR, 

and  to  the  parasol  of  his  female  companion.  And  the 
surprising  part  of  the  scene  was,  that,  covering  miles 
as  the  procession  did,  there  was  scarcely  a  single  du- 
plicate in  the  whole  parade. 

''Here  ends  our  entertainment,"  said  Mr.  Crescent, 
after  escorting  the  girls  home,  and  entering  for  a  little 
social  chat.  '  'There  is  a  concert  to-night  at  the  Pavil- 
lion  previous  to  the  masquerade,  but  Mr.  Ernest  and 
I  concluded  that  you  would  hardly  care  to  attend,  as  it 
probably  much  resembles  the  former  one.  But  now, 
Miss  Kdna,  we  have  been  somewhat  neglecting  busi- 
ness— at  least  I  have — during  these  days' of  pleasure. 
May  I  ask  what  success  you  have  had  since  we  last 
posted  up  the  books  together,  a  week  ago  to-day,  I  be- 
lieve." 

"Indeed  you  may,"  said  Edna,  who  had  been  eagerly 
waiting  for  him  to  ask  the  question.  "Have  you  time 
to  look  over  the  accounts  now?" 

He  took  out  his  watch. 

"O,  yes;  there  is  a  good  hour  before  my  dinner- 
time. So  bring  them  on,  Miss  Edna,  and  we  shall  see 
whether  you  are  keeping  up  your  character  as  an  ex- 
pert accountant." 

Edna  laughed  gleefully  as  she  laid  the  book  open 
before  him. 

"Don't  tell  the  girls  yet  how  much  I  have  made 
this  week,"  she  said.  "I  want  them  to  guess.  Now, 
girls,  how  much  have  I  made  within  the  past  few  days 
from  the  sale  of  fancy  articles  alone — I  mean  those  we 
have  made  ourselves,  including  Glad}^s'  paintings,  so 
that  the  money  is  almost  clear  gain  ?  Now  guess." 

"'Ten  dollars,"  hazarded  Gladys. 


A  CHRISTIAN  OPTIMIST.  215 

"Fifteen,"  suggested  Eudora. 

"Guess  again,  both  of  you." 

"Twenty,"  ventured  Gladys. 

"Twenty-five,"  said  Eudora. 

And  Edna,  anxious  not  to  weaken  the  final  effect  by 
any  further  gradual  leading  up  to  it,  announced  slowly 
and  impressively,  "It  is  forty-two  dollars." 

The  astonishment  of  all  came  up  fully  to  her  ex- 
pectations, and  great  wrere  the  congratulations  over 
her  business  tact  and  ability. 

"Yes,  it's  pretty  good,"  she  said,  quite  complacent 
over  the  praises  so  freely  administered.  "I  really 
think  I  have  done  remarkably  well.  I  suppose  I  have 
a  taking  way  with  the  public." 

"Take  care,"  warned  Gladys,  smilingly.  "Pride 
sometimes  has  a  fall,  you  know." 

"Bother  falls,"  laughed  Edna,  whose  high  spirits, 
once  in  the  ascendant,  sometimes  carried  her  rather 
too  far.  "Here's  the  hard  cash,  any  way,  and  that 
can't  have  a  fall,  however  it  may  be  with  me.  But  I 
don't  propose  to  fall  either.  And  the  rest  of  the  sales 
amount  to  a  good  deal,  too,  but  they  are  not  yet  all 
counted.  Hurrah  for  stores  in  general,  and  this  little 
book-store  in  particular!" 

"Well,  Miss  Edna,"  said  Mr.  Crescent,  as  he  finally 
arose  to  depart,  "I  heartily  congratulate  you  upon 
your  success.  Long  may  it  last !  Though  you  must 
remember  that  in  the  nature  of  the  case,  you  cannot 
expect  such  windfalls  very  often." 

On  Monday  morning,  as  Gladys  and  Eudora  sat  at 
breakfast,  Edna,  who  had  gone  into  the  store  for  some 


2l6  A   BUSINESS   VKNTURE;    OR, 

purpose,  came  running  back  with  pale  cheeks  and 
frightened  eyes. 

"It's  gone,  girls!  it's  gone!"  she  fairly  gasped  out; 
then  threw  herself  into  a  chair  unable  for  the  moment 
to  stand. 

"What  has  gone?"  both  exclaimed  together. 

"The  money!     All  the  money!     Every  cent!" 

"O,  you  have  only  mislaid  it,"  said  Gladys.  "Let 
us  go  and  see  about  it,  Kudora." 

"Yes,  come,"  said  Edna,  recovering  herself  in  a 
measure  and  leading  the  way;  "then  see  whether  I 
have  mislaid  it  or  not." 

A  startling  sight  met  their  eyes  as  they  entered. 
The  entire  lower  sash  of  the  window  had  been  re- 
moved, without  breaking,  and  stood  on  the  floor  in- 
side. The  money-drawer  was  wide  open  and  the  con- 
tents gone.  Not  another  thing  had  apparently  been 
touched. 

The  girls  looked  at  each  other  in  dismay. 

"Didn't  I  tell  you!"  said  Edna;  and  there  was 
something  of  triumph  in  her  tone,  instantly,  however, 
changing  to  a  woeful,  "O  dear!  Isn't  it  dreadful! 
Just  as  we  were  going  to  be  so  well  off,  and  I  was  go- 
ing to  take  lessons  in — Why  Gladys!  this  is  just  what 
you  prophesied!  I  hope  your  are  satisfied  now!" 

"I  prophesied?"  said  Gladys,  bewildered.  "What 
do  you  mean,  Edna?" 

"Don't  you  remember  what  you  said  about  pride 
having  a  fall.  And  sure  enough,  here  is  a  fall  with  a 
vengeance!" 

"O,"  said  Gladys,  light  dawning.      "Why,  child, 


A   CHRISTIAN   OPTIMIST.  2 17 

that  was  a  joke.  Of  course  I  never  dreamed  of  any- 
thing like  this. ' ' 

"It  seems  to  me,"  said  Eudora,  "that  instead  of 
standing  here  discussing  the  matter,  we  had  better  be 
doing  something  to  try  and  recover  the  money. ' ' 

"That  is  exactly  what  I  was  thinking,"  said 
Gladys. 

"You  have  the  wisest  head  among  us,  Eudora. 
What  do  you  think  we  had  best  do?" 

Eudora  was  silent  a  moment,  while  her  sisters 
looked  carefully  in  and  around  the  money  drawer,  to 
see  if  the  thief  might  not  have  left  some  trace  behind 
him. 

Then  Eudora  spoke.  "The  only  thing  I  can  think 
of  at  present,  is  to  send  at  once  a  note  to  Mr.  Crescent, 
asking  him  to  call  at  his  earliest  convenience — perhaps 
we  might  add  — on  important  business. ' ' 

"Yes,"  said  Edna.  "Of  course  that's  the  very 
thing.  Being  a  lawyer,  he  will  know  what  to  do. 
Will  you  write,  Gladys?" 

'  'I  must  go  to  my  school-room  at  once,  so  you  had 
better  do  it  yourself,  Edna.  You  have  the  most  time, 
and  are  besides  the  most  deeply  interested  party— 
though,  as  far  as  that  is  concerned,  we  are  all  pretty 
much  in  the  same  box!" 

About  ten  o'clock,  in  walked  Mr.  Crescent.  He 
was  in  a  somewhat  excited  state  of  mind,  as  he  feared 
— he  knew  not  what.  Edna  had  left  everything  as 
she  had  found  it,  wishing  that  he  should  see  the  exact 
state  of  affairs. 

He  looked  grave  and  troubled  when  the  story  was 
told,  though  to  a  certain  extent  he  felt  relieved. 


218  A   BUSINESS   VENTURE;    OR, 

"I  ought  to  have  done  the  proper  thing — or  what  I 
considered  the  proper  thing — when  you  first  came  here 
to  live,"  he  said.  "I  was  several  times  on  the  point 
of  ordering  shutters  to  be  put  up,  not  only  here,  but 
also  on  the  other  windows;  but  as  you  all  made  "ob- 
jections, I  felt  I  had  not  the  right  to  insist.  There 
was  my  mistake.  I  had  the  right,  as  being  your 
father's  friend,  your  business  advisor,  your  guardian 
indeed.  Another  day  shall  not  pass  without  its  being 
done — though  it  may  seem  to  you  like  locking  the 
stable-door  when  the  horse  is  gone.  Where  is  Miss 
Gladys?" 

"In  her  school-room  with  her  class.  She  is  always 
teaching  at  this  hour,  you  know." 

"Yes,  of  course,  I  forgot  this  was  Monday.  Now, 
Miss  Edna,  if  you  will  kindly  go  and  take  her  place 
for  a  short  time,  while  she  comes  here,  I  shall  be 
obliged  to  you.  I  want  to  have  a  little  conversation 
with  her." 

When  Gladys  came  in,  Mr.  Crescent  was  carefully 
fitting  the  window  sash  into  its  place,  concealing  as 
well  as  possible  the  fact  of  there  being  anything  amiss. 

"One  moment,  Miss  Gladys.  There,  that  is  all 
right,  I  think;  at  least,  it  will  do  for  the  present.  By 
and  bye  I  shall  send  up  a  carpenter. ' ' 

He  came  over,  and  took  her  hand  in  both  of  his. 

"Miss  Gladys,  this  is  all  my  fault." 

"Your  fault,  Mr.  Crescent!"  Gladys  said  in  aston- 
ishment. "What  do  you  mean  ?" 

"In  the  first  place,  I  ought  to  have  insisted  upon 
having  the  shutters  put  on,  as  you  will  remember  I 
proposed  doing.  Then,  on  Saturday  night,  I  should 


A   CHRISTIAN   OPTIMIST.  2 19 

have  taken  the  money  home  with  me,  preparatory  to 
depositing  it  in  the  bank  this  morning.  I  can  not 
imagine  how  it  happened  to  escape  my  mind." 

"Indeed,  Mr.  Crescent,  you  shall  not  blame  your- 
self in  the  very  least.  You  must  remember  that  we 
absolutely  refused  to  have  the  shutters  put  up,  like 
the  obstinate  girls  that  we  were.  Besides  which, 
Kdna  had  no  business  to  leave  the  money  in  the 
drawer ;  she  has  often  been  told  not  to  do  so,  but  her 
success  of  late  has  completely  turned  her  head.  So 
you  see,  there  was  no  fault  of  yours  about  it." 

"Most  kind  of  you  to  say  so,  my  dear  Miss  Gladys. 
But — the  fact  is,  you  all  need  a  protector — a  guard- 
ian"— he  was  speaking  hurriedly  now — "one,  I  mean, 
who  would  always  be  at  hand. ' ' 

But  Gladys,  in  sudden  unaccountable  fright,  broke 
in  with,  "Yes,  I  do  realty  think  we  would  be  the 
better  of  having '  a  great  big  dog  !  We  could  shut 
him  up  in  the  store,  you  know,  and  he  would  give  us 
warning  of  attempted  attacks.  Don't  you  think  so, 
Mr.  Crescent?" 

Instead  of  answering  at  once,. that  gentleman  took 
out  his  handkerchief,  and  wiped  the  perspiration  from 
his  brow.  When  he  spoke  at  last,  his  voice  was  com- 
pletely altered. 

"It  might  be  a  good  idea,  Miss  Gladys.  But  we 
are  wasting  time,  as  I  have  no  doubt  you  are  anxious 
to  return  to  your  scholars.  What  I  wished  specially 
to  say  to  you  was  this.  In  my  judgment  it  will  be 
best  to  say  nothing  of  this  robbery  to  anyone.  It 
would  be  exceedingly  unpleasant  to  have  your  name 
in  the  papers,  with  all  manner  of  surmises  and  rumors 


220  A   BUSINESS   VENTURE  ;    OR, 

floating  about.  Besides  it  would  call  attention  to  the 
fact  of  money  being  kept  so  insecurely,  and  might  in- 
cite others  to  a  like  attempt." 

"O  by  all  means,  Mr.  Crescent,"  said  Gladys, 
eagerly,  "do  keep  it  out  of  the  papers  !  It  would  be 
far  better  to  lose  the  money  than  to  be  dragged  into 
public  notice  in  that  dreadful  way.  It  would  be 
simply  terrible." 

"Of  course  I  knew  you  would  feel  so,  Miss  Gladys. 
But  I  trust  we  may  not  have  to  lose  the  money 
either.  I  happen  to  have  an  acquaintance  among  the 
detectives  of  this  place,  who  once  did  me  good  service, 
though  not  in  a  similar  case.  I  will  get  him  to  man- 
age the  matter  so  that  it  shall  be  kept  entirely  private. 
Have  no  fears,  Miss  Gladys." 

"Thank  you,  Mr.  Crescent,"  said  Gladys,  grate- 
fully. And  with  a  remorseful  feeling  for  the  wound 
which  she  knew  in  her  heart  she  had  dealt  him,  she 
added,  "We  are  quite  sure  that  our  interests  are  al- 
ways safe  in  your  hands.  We  are  very  fortunate  girls 
to  have  such  a  good,  kind  friend." 

Then  hastily  saying  good-bye  she  made  her  exit, 
leaving  Mr.  Crescent  to  await  Edna's  return  with  a 
much  lighter  heart  than  had  been  the  case  a  moment 
before.  Later  in  the  day  he  returned,  accompanied 
by  a  carpenter,  who  speedily  put  to  right  the  damaged 
window,  and  also  took  measurements  for  shutters  for 
that  and  the  other  windows,  all  of  which  were  only  on 
one  side  of  the  house — that  looking  into  the  street. 

It  was  a  very  different  Edna  from  the  usual  merry, 
saucy,  laughing  girl  who  sat  down  to  dinner  that 
evening.  Sad,  silent,  downcast,  with  a  suspicion  of 


A   CHRISTIAN   OPTIMIST.  221 

tears  in  her  eyes  ;  could  contrast  be  greater  ?  And 
not  all  Hudora's  and  even  Gladys'  efforts  at  liveliness 
could  change  her  attitude. 

"Edna,  dear,"  said  Kudora,  when  they  two  were 
washing  the  dishes,  Gladys  having  left  the  room,  "I 
wouldn't  take  this  matter  so  much  to  heart,  if  I  were 
you.  We  may  recover  the  money,  but  if  not,  we  can 
do  without  it.  A  good  part  of  it  is  over  and  above 
what  we  had  calculated  on,  and  we  are  now  doing  so 
well  that  we  can  afford  to  lose  it.  So  be  comforted, 
dear." 

"It  is  not  the  money  alone,"  said  Edna,  dashing 
away  a  tear.  "It  is  because  I  have  been  such  an 
idiot — first  in  boasting  so  much  of  my  capabilities  and 
general  brilliancy,  and  then  for  my  obstinacy  in  refus- 
ing to  take  Gladys'  advice  as  to  putting  away  tjie  money 
in  a  safe  place  until  Monday.  I  insisted  on  leaving  it 
in  the  store,  and  was  even  saucy  about  it — it  was 
awfully  good  of  her  not  to  remind  me  of  my  badness. 
Yes,  the  whole  thing  has  been  my  fault.  I  deserve 
every  bit  of  the  punishment;  but  it  is  too  bad  Gladys 
and  you  have  to  suffer  for  my  folly." 

*  'As  far  as  I  am  concerned,  dear,  the  money  loss 
has  but  little  effect.  And  Gladys  is  even  more  in- 
different. I  wish  she  were  less  so!  And  as  to  your- 
self, little  sister,  the  thing  is  over  and  done.  Take 
the  lesson  from  it  of  being  less  confident  and  boastful 
and  obstinate — I  am  only  using  your  own  words, 
dear — and  then  let  the  past  be  past.  Cast  it  entirely 
from  you,  as  you  did  the  Mrs.  Savin  affair.  Remem- 
ber that  successes  are  built  upon  failures,  and  that 


222  A    BUSINESS   VENTURE;    OR, 

they  only  learn  the  secret  of  success,  who  have  learned 
the  lesson  of  failure." 

"Yes,"  said  Edna,  still  gloomily,  "Of-  course  it  is  all 
true.  But  you  see — the  fact  is,  Hudora,  I  didn't  do 
one  bit  of  good  to-day.  I  had  not  the  heart  to  put  any 
vim  into  it;  I  know  I  lost  several  sales  in  consequence. 
People  coming  in,  as  they  often  do,  just  from  curiosity— 
though  they  nearly  always  end  by  buying  something 
or  other — seeing  a  grumpy,  cross,  indifferent  person, 
went  off  without  buying  anything;  so  just  when  we 
are  in  need  of  making  money,  I  let  the  chances  slip." 

"Well,  dear,  make  up  your  mind  that  it  won't  be  so 
to-morrow.  Start  on  a  new  day  as  though  the  un- 
pleasant past  had  never  been;  and  we  will  both  use  our 
talisman  to  get  the  money  back." 

"O,  I  never  thought  of  that!"  said  Edna,  looking 
more  hopeful — for  she  had  great  faith  in  the  efficacy 
of  Eudora's  prayers.  "Perhaps  we  shall  get  it  back 
after  all!  But  who  do  you  think  was  in  the  store 
yesterday,  Eudora  ?  Why,  but  Tony's  father,  on  his 
his  way  home  to  dinner,  looking  ever  so  respectable 
and  nice!  He  came  in  actually  to  buy  a  newspaper! 
I  think  it  was  an  excuse  to  let  ns  see  how  well  he  was 
doing;  but  I  am  sure  he  was  disappointed  that  neither 
you  nor  Gladys  was  here." 

"I  hope  you  were  not  grumpy  to  him?"  asked  Eu- 
dora, anxiously. 

"O,  but  I  am  afraid  I  was,"  said  Edna,  ruefully. 
"For  he  seemed  disappointed,  and  did  not  appear 
nearly  so  bright  when  he  left  as  when  he  came  in.  I 
was  sorry  the  moment  he  shut  the  door  behind  him." 

Eudora   looked  vexed.      "O,  Edna!      And  we  did 


A   CHRISTIAN   OPTIMIST. 


223 


so  want  to  encourage  him,  until  he  should  be  thor- 
oughly established  in  steady-going  ways.  It  is  not 
yet-  dark.  I  shall  run  over  there  a  moment,  and 
take  them  that  soup  that  was  left  from  dinner.  A 
little  talk  with  him  will  help  set  matters  right  again, 
I  hope." 


224  A   BUSINESS   VENTURE;    OR, 


CHAPTER   XXIV. 

The  committee  who  had  been  put  in  charge  of  Tony's 
family  had  not  been  idle.  Theirs  was  not  merely  a 
nominal  office,  as  is  too  often  the  case  with  those  ap- 
pointed to  be  lay-helpers  in  the  church.  The  young 
men  made  honest  efforts  to  assist  the  man  back  into 
paths  of  sobriety,  and  to  find  him  remunerative  em- 
ployment. 

The  3^oung  women  made  similar  efforts  with  the 
wife,  and  also  attended  to  the  necessities  of  the  family 
until  the  parents  should  be  in  a  better  position  to  take 
the  burden  upon  themselves. 

Success  did  not  at  first  reward  their  efforts,  and  per- 
haps with  the  easy  discouragement  of  youth,  the  at- 
tempt might  have  been  abandoned  when  the  second 
relapse  caused  the  man  to  lose  his  place,  had  not  their 
pastor  come  to  the  rescue  with  words  of  encourage- 
ment and  cheer;  and  their  efforts  began  afresh.  Finally 
a  measure  of  success  rewarded  them;  the  man  had 
kept  his  present  position  for  a  month,  and  great  were 
the  hopes  concerning  him. 

Mrs.  Starr,  Tony's  mother,  was  not  so  hard  to  in- 
fluence. The  shock  of  her  child's  death  had  tempo- 
rarily checked  her  habits,  and  kindly,  continued  inter- 
est in  her  welfare,  stimulated  her  to  fresh  hopes  for 
herself  and  her  children,  and  helped  her  to  persevere 
in  the  new  life  upon  which  she  had  entered.  With 
her  also  there  were  occasional  discouraging  relapses; 
but  they  were  becoming  fewer  and  less  prolonged,  and 


A  CHRISTIAN  OPTIMIST.  225 

the  children  were  beginning  to  learn,  for  the  nrst  time 
what  it  was  to  have  a  mother. 

Just  as  Eudora  entered  with  the  soup,  she  heard 
Tony  say,  in  a  sobbing  and  3^et  determined  voice: 

"No,  pop,  I  won't  do  it;  I  won't  do  it,  pop." 

Then,  as  he  caught  sight  of  Eudora,  he  ran  joy- 
fully to  her,  exclaiming, 

"O,  here's  my  teacher!" 

His  father,  who  had  apparently  been  holding  out  a 
bottle  to  the  boy,  now  hastily  slipped  it  under  the 
table.  He  had  a  shame-faced,  down-cast  expression, 
very  different  from  the  bright,  straightforward  look 
he  had  of  late  been  wearing.  Mrs.  Starr  had  evi- 
dently been  crying;  she  hastily  wiped  her  eyes,  and 
offered  a  seat  to  Eudora. 

"Thank  you;  I  can't  stay  long,"  said  Eudora,  "for 
it  is  getting  dark.  But  we  have  just  had  dinner,  and 
this  soup  was  so  nice  I  thought  you  might  all  enjoy 
some  of  it.  Mr.  Starr,  that  building  you  are  working 
on ' ' — he  was  a  stone-mason — ' '  is  getting  on  nicely.  I 
have  not  seen  it  for  a  few  days,  but  I  shall  pass  that 
way  to-morrow  morning" — having  suddenly  made  up 
her  mind  to  that  effect — '  'and  will  take  particular  notice 
of  the  part  you  are  engaged  upon.  One  is  always 
more  interested  in  any  thing  when  a  person  one  is 
acquainted  with  has  something  to  say  to  it." 

The  man  brightened  up.  He  began  to  speak  about 
his  work  with  animation;  and  Eudora  knew  certainly, 
as  she  bade  them  goodbye,  that  a  critical  point  had  been 
passed,  and  the  danger  was  over  for  the  present. 

The  following  morning,  Eudora  went  three  blocks 
out  of  her  way  in  order  to  keep  her  promise.  Mr. 


226  A   BUSINESS   VENTURE;    OR, 

Starr  was  evidently  on  the  watch  for  her,  and  came 
forward  smiling  with  pleasure.  He  pointed  out  proudly 
the  part  on  which  he  was  at  work,  and,  after  a  few 
pleasant  words  from  Eudora,  returned  to  his  post  with 
the  comfortable  feeling  that  some  one  was  taking  an 
interest  in  his  success,  and  a  determination  that  that 
kindly  interest  should  never  be  misplaced. 

But  Eudora  did  more.  She  made  it  her  business  to 
see  one  of  the  young  men  of  the  committee  with 
whom  she  was  slightly  acquainted,  and  rousing  anew 
his  interest  in  Mr.  Starr's  welfare,  had  him  promise 
that  he  would  stop  from  time  to  time  at  the  building 
at  which  the  man  was  at  work  and  give  him  a  word  of 
kindly  encouragement,  so  that  he  might  feel  that  he 
had  friends  who  would  be  glad  of  his  success  and 
grieved  at  his  failure. 

Day  after  day  passed,  and  no  tidings  of  the  lost 
money.  Edna's  high  spirits  were  gone,  for  the  mo- 
ment at  least,  as  she  daily  and  nightly  reckoned  in  her 
mind  the  many  things  the  sixty-seven  dollars  would 
have  done  for  them. 

"All  Gladys'  beautiful  paintings  gone  for  nothing," 
she  would  think  over  and  over  again.  '  'All  those  pretty 
things  I  spent  so  much  time  and  pains  over — gone — 
lots  of  magazines,  newspapers,  pads,  pencils,  books — 
gone  for  nothing.  All  my  own  fault,  too.  And  just 
to  think  what  that  money  would  have  done!  No  use 
now  for  me  to  try  to  take  lessons  in  anything.  I'll 
only  be  a  little  storekeeper  for  the  rest  of  my  life! 
And  I  deserve  it,  too!" 

When  people  give  imagination  the  rein,  it  usually 
carries  them  to  an  unintended  distance.  Edna  at  first 


A   CHRISTIAN   OPTIMIST.  227 

took  a  certain  kind  of  pleasure  in  these  exaggerations; 
then  they  became  more  and  more  real  as  she  encour- 
aged them,  until,  finally,  the  wonders  the  lost  money 
would  have  procured  had  increased  to  such  propor- 
tions that  ten  times  the  amount  would  hardly  have  suf- 
ficed. 

The  following  Friday,  when  Eudora  went  to  her 
sewing  at  Mrs.  Warringsford's,  it  seemed  to  her  that 
her  friend  treated  her  with  unusual  coolness.  She 
was,  of  course — being  a  lady — as  polite  as  ever,  but 
there  was  a  nameless  something  in  her  manner  which 
a  sensitive  nature,  such  as  Eudora's,  was  quick  to  de- 
tect. When  Gabrielle  returned  from  school,  she  ran 
in  to  Eudora  full  of  a  great  piece  of  news. 

"O,  Miss  Eudora,  do  you  know  that  papa  is  going 
to  Europe  this  very  week!  and  maybe  he'll  be  gone 
for  three  months,  and  maybe  longer!  and  isn't  it  too 
bad! — just  as  spring  has  come,  and  he  could  take  us 
lots  of  excursions  in  my  vacation!  I  have  been  so 
looking  forward  to  it.  It's  just  too  bad!  I  really 
think  it  is!" 

Mrs.  Warringsford,  who  at  that  moment  was  pass- 
ing through  the  room,  stopped  and  said,  in  an  un- 
usually stiff  manner:  "Gabrielle,  don't  let  me  hear 
yon  talking  such  nonsense.  Your  father  has  been 
speaking  of  going  to  Europe  for  a  year  or  two  past. 
If  you  act  in  this  way,  you  will  make  him  uncomfort- 
able and  unhappy  in  going." 

"O,  I  won't  to  him,  Grandma!"  said  the  little  girl, 
surprised  at  Mrs.  Warringsford's  unusual  tone.  "Of 
course  I  won't!  But  I  do  wish  he  would  take  me 
with  him!" 


228  A    BUSINESS   VENTURE;    OR, 

"That  would  be  utterly  impossible,  Gabrielle;  so  let 
me  hear  no  more  of  such  foolishness. ' ' 

The  poor  child  looked  distressed  as  her  grandmother 
left  the  room. 

"Grandma  never  speaks  to  me  like  that,"  she  said, 
with  tears  in  her  eyes.  "I  expect  she' s  worried  be- 
cause papa  is  going  away,  for  I  think  she  was  crying 
this  morning.  But  I  wish  she  wouldn't  be  vexed  with 
me!" 

Kudora  did  her  best  to  comfort  the  child,  but  she 
felt  sad  herself,  and  her  efforts  were  not  entirely  suc- 
cessful. A  cloud  hung  over  her  all  through  the  day, 
and  it  was  with  a  somewhat  heavy  heart  that  she  lay 
down  to  rest  that  night.  For  what  innumerable  kind- 
nesses was  she  and  were  all  of  them  indebted  to  Mrs. 
Warringsf ord !  What  an  invaluable  help  had  been 
her  affection  and  sympathy!  Were  they  now  to  lose 
it  all?  And  was  she  destined  to  bring  sorrow  into 
the  home  that  had  sheltered  and  blessed  them?  It 
was  natural  that  she  should  feel  it  keenly,  and  for  a 
time  the  tears  coursed  freely  down  her  cheeks.  But 
her  Friend,  her  Comforter,  was  close  at  hand,  and 
only  waiting  for  the  listening  ear,  to  pour  therein  His 
heavenly  consolation.  And  now  she  hearkened,  and 
the  comfort  came. 

'  'I  have  been  looking  at  consequences, ' '  she  thought, 
"forgetting,  as  many  times  before,  that  I  have  nothing 
to  do  with  them.  I  have  followed  the  guidance  of  my 
I^eader,  I  truly  believe,  as  far  as  I  recognized  it  to  be 
such,  and  now  I  will  leave  the  rest  in  His  safe  hands. ' ' 

And  resolutely  wiping  away  the  tears,  with  her 
nightly  song  upon  her  lips,  she  fell  asleep. 


A   CHRISTIAN   OPTIMIST.  229 

A  few  weeks  passed,  and  Edna,  aided  by  Eudora's 
wise  counsels,  was  becoming  reconciled  to  her  loss, 
although  there  were  times  when  her  inward  lamenta- 
tions were  almost  as  great  as  ever. 

Mr.  Ernest  Warringsford  had  started  on  his  Euro- 
pean journey,  leaving  a  sad  household  behind.  For 
some  time  after  his  departure,  Eudora  had  to  endure 
that  subtle  change  of  atmosphere  which  caused  her  to 
feel,  in  some  indescribable  way,  that  she  was  an  in- 
dividual, apart  from  the  others,  and  no  longer  an 
actual  member  of  the  family.  She  felt  it  even  with 
Gabrielle — for  children  are  quick  to  catch  the  status  of 
their  elders,  though  with  often  no  idea  as  to  causes,  or 
being  indeed  conscious  of  change  in  themselves  or 
others.  Eudora  kept  calmly  on  her  way,  apparently 
oblivious  to  any  difference  in  her  position  or  surround- 
ings— calm,  sweet  and  helpful  as  ever.  Gradually, 
almost  imperceptibly,  the  chillness  passed  away,  and 
one  day,  Eudora,  with  a  thankful  heart,  awoke  to  the 
realization  that  she  was  again  in  the  warm  atmosphere 
of  family  love,  and  no  longer  outside  in  the  cold. 

One  afternoon,  Gladys  was  feeling  unusually  sad. 
The  haunting  grief  had  come  closer  than  ever,  and 
clad  in  more  vivid  colors.  It  was  towards  evening, 
and  she  had  taken  Edna's  place,  while  the  latter  went 
on  an  errand — Eudora  had  not  yet  returned.  It  was 
past  their  usual-  hour  for  customers,  although  a  stray 
one  might  happen  in  at  any  hour  before  closing. 

Gladys  sat  behind  the  counter,  book  in  hand,  but 
not  reading.  Her  thoughts  were  far  away,  a  look  of 
distress  was  upon  her  countenance — a  look  almost  of 
despair.  Imagination  had  broken  loose  from  its 


230  A    BUSINESS   VENTURE;    OR, 

bounds,  and  was  taking  revenge  for  long  continued  re- 
straint. Would  ever  this  haunting  memory  die  ?  Die, 
never  to  know  a  resurrection!  A  resurrection  at  a 
moment  when  its  ghostly  apparition  would  be  farthest 
from  her  thoughts,  and  well-nigh  drive  her  wild  with 
terror?  There  are  tidal  waves  of  grief — waves  which 
sweep  away  all  before  them,  and  efforts  are  vain  to 
stem  the  torrent.  Such  a  time  was  this,  and  Gladys 
never  recalled  the  half  hour  she  now  passed,  without 
a  thrill  of  horror. 

She  did  not  hear  the  store  door  open,  nor  did  she 
move  until  a  voice  aroused  her  to  present  recollection. 
She  started  to  her  feet  with  a  wild  idea  of  escaping 
into  the  adjoining  room,  but  it  was  too  late — Mr. 
Crescent  stood  before  her. 

"My  dear  Miss  Gladys,"  he  exclaimed  in  a  tone  of 
the  deepest  concern,  "you  are  ill !  I  am  sure  you 
must  be  very  ill !  Do  let  me  get  you  something  to 
take,  or  summon  a  doctor  !" 

The  shocked  look  in  his  face  had  a  strong  effect  in 
restoring  her  composure,  at  least  to.  the  extent  of 
enabling  her  to  make  a  mighty  effort  in  that  di- 
rection. 

"I  am  not  ill,  Mr.  Crescent.  Only  some  distressing 
circumstances  came  into  my  mind  more  vividly  than 
usual,  and"  — she  paused,  hardly  knowing  what  to 
say. 

But  Mr.  Crescent  was  not  satisfied.  Never  had  he 
seen  such  a  look  on  Gladys'  countenance ;  years 
seemed  to  have  passed  over  it — it  was  haggard  and 
drawn.  But  she  showed  such  evident  reluctance  to 
further  questioning  that  he  thought  it  best  to  let  the 


A   CHRISTIAN   OPTIMIST.  231 

matter  drop,  and  taking  a  seat,  began  to  enter  into 
conversation  with  a  view  of  diverting  her  mind.  At 
first  she  seemed  feverishly  eager  to  second  his  efforts, 
but  gradually  she  became  more  and  more  abstracted, 
and  finally  he  felt  that  his  attempt  at  diversion  was  a 
decided  failure.  So  he  took  another  tack. 

"Miss  Gladys,"  he  said  suddenly,  after  a  moment's 
silence,  "would  you  not  like  to  do  an  act  of  charity?  " 

Gladys  looked  surprised. 

"Is  any  friend  of  yours  in  trouble,  Mr.  Crescent?  " 

Her  heart  made  answer,  '  'myself, ' '  but  now  she  had 
gathered  strength  sufficient  resolutely  to  turn  her 
thoughts  from  her  own  case  and  prepare  to  throw 
her  sympathies  into  another  channel. 

"I  can  hardly  say  'friend,'  and  yet  I  am  slightly 
acquainted  with  the  family.  They  are  almost  neigh- 
bors of  yours,  living  only  about  one  block  away.  They 
have  lately  come  to  this  city,  so  there  would  be  no 
impropriety  in  your  calling  on  them  if  you  felt  so 
disposed." 

"But  I  do  not  feel  so  disposed,  Mr.  Crescent — by 
no  manner  of  means.  And  people  are  not  in  the  habit 
of  doing  such  things  in  cities,  unless  for  some  special 
reason. ' ' 

"O  well,"  said  Mr.  Crescent,  in  a  crestfallen  man- 
ner, "  I  suppose  we  men  don't  know  much  about  such 
things.  And  I  am  a  blundering  old  fellow  anyway,  so 
pay  no  attention  whatever  to  my  requests,  Miss 
Gladys." 

"O,  Mr.  Crescent,"  exclaimed  Gladys,  smitten  again 
with  sudden  remorse,  "of  course,  if  you  really  wish 
it — I  would  do  anything  to  oblige  you. ' ' 


232  A   BUSINESS   VENTURE  ;    OR, 

And  artful  Mr.  Crescent  was  well  satisfied  with  the 
effect  of  his  speech. 

"It  is  only  this,  Miss  Gladys.  They  are  in  deep 
sorrow,  almost  strangers  in  this  city,  coming  here 
about  the  -  time  of  your  arrival,  I  think,  or  shortly 
after.  There  are  two  young  girls  in  the  family,  and 
it  occurred  to  me — but  of  course  it  is  not  necessary 
that  you  should  call.  It  was  a  mere  suggestion  on 
the  spur  of  the  moment — I  hardly  know  how  it  came 
into  my  head  to  mention  it.  However  there  is  no 
harm  done,  I  trust." 

"No,  indeed,  Mr.  Crescent.  It  was  foolish  of  me 
to  speak  as  I  did.  But  what  is  the  trouble,  if  I  may 
ask  the  question  ?  ' ' 

"It  is  a  sad  story,  Miss  Gladys.  Almost  immedi- 
ately after  their  arrival  the  father  in  a  fit  of  despond- 
ency, caused,  it  is  said,  by  his  wife's  reproaches  for 
his  losses  in  business,  committed  suicide. ' ' 

He  stopped  short  in  dismay  as  Gladys  uttered  a 
gasping  sound  and  turned  deathly  pale.  But  she 
said  not  a  word,  and  after  an  instant's  pause  Mr. 
Crescent,  attributing  her  emotion  to  her  kind-hearted- 
ness, continued  speaking. 

"And,  by  the  way,  Miss  Gladys,  it  is  singular  how 
very  closely  their  name  resembles  your  own.  Theirs 
is  Grayson — simply  the  difference  of  a  letter.  Miss 
Gladys!  my  dear  Miss  Gladys!  What  can  be  the 
matter?" 

For  Gladys  was  gazing  at  him  with  an  expression  of 
countenance  which  filled  him  with  astonishment.  Now 
pale,  now  flushed,  now  bewildered,  now  joyful — what 
wonder  if  he  were  almost  beside  himself  with  amaze- 


A   CHRISTIAN   OPTIMIST.  233 

ment?  Finally,  a  look  of  determination  chased  away 
all  other  expressions. 

"Mr.  Crescent,"  she  said,  tremulously,  in  her  ex- 
citement laying  her  hand  on  his  arm,  "Will  you,  O, 
will  you  be  so  very  good  as  to  stay  in  the  store  until 
Edna  returns,  and  allow  me  to  go  out  for  a  little  while  ? 
Please,  please  do." 

"Certainly,  I  shall  do  so  if  it  is  any — any  conven- 
ience to  you,  Miss  Gladys.  But  possibly — it  might  be 
best — not  on  my  account,  of  course — but  perhaps  it 
might  be  better  that  you  should  wait  until  Miss  Kdna 
or  Miss  Kudora — " 

"O,  no;  I  cannot  wait,  Mr.  Crescent.  I  really  must 
go  at  once.  Please  stay  here  until  my  return,  even  if 
they  do  come.  I  want  to  tell  you  something." 

She  was  hastily  putting  on  her  hat,  which  hung  on 
a  nail  near  her,  and  was  gone  without  waiting  for 
another  word. 

Mr.  Crescent  shook  his  head  as  the  door  closed  be- 
hind her,  and  wiped  his  forehead  with  his  handker- 
chief— an  action  peculiar  to  him  in  moments  of  per- 
plexity. 

"Very  singular!"  he  said,  half  aloud.  "Very,  very 
singular!  I  hope  she  is  not  taking  a  fever,  or  any- 
thing. I  am  afraid  I  did  wrong  to  let  her  go  off  alone 
that  way.  Dear!  dear!  I  seem  to  have  the  unhappy 
faculty  of  rousing  her  in  a  miserable  manner!  If  I 
only  had  the  right — she  certainly  needs  some  one  to 
look  after  her.  I  wonder — " 

But  what  he  wondered  there  is  no  telling,  for  at 
that  moment  Edna  returned.  She  was,  of  course, 
much  surprised  on  finding  the  change  of  clerks.  As 


234  A    BUSINESS   VENTURE;    OR, 

the  gentleman  could  give  no  clear  explanation  as  to 
the  cause  of  Gladys'  absence,  and  as  his  manner  was 
odd  and  flurried,  Edna  began  to  be  seriously  alarmed, 
and  to  fear  that  something  had  happened  to  this  dearly 
beloved  sister. 

"What  did  she  say  she  went  for,  Mr.  Crescent? 
Was  she  sick,  or  what?  Do  tell  me,  please,  and  don't 
hide  anything  from  me.  I  am  sure  there  is  something 
the  matter. ' ' 

"My  dear  Miss  Edna,  I  know  no  more  than  you  do. 
We  were  sitting  conversing,  when  she  suddenly 
jumped  up,  put  on  her  hat,  and  begged  me  to  keep 
store  while  she  went  out  for  a  time.  I  must  own  she 
looked  excited  and  anxious,  but  not  ill — at  least,  she 
did  not  look  like  herself." 

"But  what  were  you  talking  about,  Mr.  Crescent? 
Was  it  of  anything  that  might  have  troubled  her?" 

"Nothing,  I  assure  you,  Miss  Edna.  I  was  only 
telling  her  the  case  of  an  unfortunate  family  living 
near  here.  No,  our  conversation  could  have  had 
nothing  to  say  to  it.  I  am  also  concerned,  Miss  Edna, 
and  earnestly  hope  and  pray  that  she  will  soon  be 
back." 

•  And  then,  with  a  sinking  heart,  Edna  remembered 
how  strange  at  times  Gladys  had  been  of  late — how 
eccentric,  even,  in  her  sudden  changes  of  mood,  her 
restless  nights,  her  queerness  altogether.  What  if 
she  really  had  no  trouble — if  it  had  been  in  her  mind 
alone — all  a  figment  of  her  diseased  imagination  ? 

As  these  ideas  flashed  over  Edna,  she  suddenly 
looked  at  Mr.  Crescent,  and  as  their  eyes  met,  each 
recognized  as  by  magic  the  other's  thought — Gladys 


A   CHRISTIAN   OPTIMIST. 


235 


had  lost  her  reason !  Edna  burst  into  a  violent  fit  of 
weeping. 

"O,  Mr.  Crescent!  Do  go  and  look  for  her!  She 
may  do  something  dreadful!  O,  please  go  quickly!  " 

"I  will,  my  dear  Miss  Kdna!  I  shall  go  at  once — I 
know  the  direction  she  took,  but — she  has  been  gone 
for  half  an  hour — I  fear — however,  we  must  hope  for 
the  best." 

And  he  hastened  off,  full  of  perplexity  and  distress. 


236  A   BUSINESS   VENTURE;    OR, 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

Edna  had  retreated  to  the  adjoining  room,  leaving 
the  door  into  the  store  open  between,  and  was  still 
crying,  when  Kudora  returned. 

"Why,  Edna,  what  is  the  matter?  Are  you  sick, 
or  what  is  it?  " 

And  then  between  her  sobs,  the  story  was  told. 

Fora  moment  Eudora  looked  startled,  even  shocked; 
then  she  recovered  herself  and  said  quietly,  "I  cer- 
tainly think  you  are  mistaken,  dear.  Gladys  has 
known  what  she  was  about  all  along.  I  have  never 
seen  anything  about  her  that  might  lead  one  to  sup- 
pose she  was  not  perfectly  in  her  right  mind,  however 
her  imagination  may  have  magnified  the  trouble  which 
no  doubt  in  some  form  or  other  really  fell  upon  her. 
No,  indeed.  Be  very  sure  that  at  any  rate  up  to  this 
time,  she  has  known  perfectly  what  she  was  about." 

And  then  Eudora  betook  herself  to  her  never-failing 
refuge,  prayer,  while  Edna  now  joined  her  with  all 
her  heart. 

Five  minutes  thereafter,  the  store  door  opened. 

"Here  is  our  truant!"  called  a  manly  voice  in 
which  a  ring  of  happiness  was  clearly  discernible,  and 
Gladys  came  hastily  in  to  her  sisters,  with  a  coun- 
tenance from  which  all  traces  of  sorrow  seemed  to 
have  passed  away  forever.  She  closed  the  door, 
leaving  Mr.  Crescent,  at  his  own  suggestion,  to  keep 
store.  Then  she  kissed  Eudora  and  Edna  with  a 


A   CHRISTIAN   OPTIMIST.  237 

warmth  and  effusiveness  beyond  anything  either  of 
them  had  ever  witnessed  in  her  before. 

"Girls,"  she  said,  in  a  trembling  and  yet  exulting 
voice,  "you  will  suffer  no  more  from  my  gloom  and 
misery!  My  sorrow  is  all  over — gone,  never  to  re- 
turn! It  was  a  mistake — my  own  mistake — but  I  will 
tell  you  all  about  it!  " 

With -what  absorbing  interest  did  Kudora  and  Edna 
listen  to  the  story. 

"That  day  you  left  me  at  home,"  she  began,  "to 
finish  the  work  and  prepare  the  luncheon,  I  was  get- 
ting some  hot  water  out  of  the -bath-room  to  wash 
the  dishes  in,  when  I  heard'  Mrs.  Smith  speaking  to 
some  one  in  the  adjoining  room — the  transom  in  both 
rooms  must  have  been  open.  I  was  waiting  for  the 
water  to  become  hot  enough,  when  I  caught  our  own 
name,  and  then  Mrs.  Smith  said,  'Poor  man!  they 
say  he  was  so  unhappy  in  his  own  family  that  he 
could  bear  it  no  longer,  and  he  shot  himself. '  ' ' 

Gladys'  voice  trembled  from  the  remembrance  of 
the  wave  of  misery  which  then  and  there  had  over- 
whelmed her,  and  beneath  which  her  happiness,  as 
she  verily  believed,  had  sunk  forever.  fJfifJCTpff"  T  iKr«s 

"O,  girls,  it  was  awful!  I  remembered  how  often  I 
had  been  cold  to  father,  and  I  felt  absolutely  certain 
that  my  apparent  want  of  affection  had  been  making 
him  wretched  all  those  years,  and  that  at  last  he  could 
endure  it  no  longer!  O,  dear  girls,  you  never  can  con- 
ceive the  misery  which  day  and  night  thereafter 
haunted  me  perpetually,  so  that,  at  almost  any  mo- 
ment, death  would  have  been  welcome  as  the  only 
chance  of  escape  from  life-long  torture ! ' ' 


238  A   BUSINESS   VENTURE;    OR, 

Kudora  and  Hdna  were  both  crying;  but  though  the 
tears  were  in  Gladys'  eyes,  the  absolute  radiance  of 
her  countenance  was  beyond  anything  they  had  ever 
witnessed  there  before. 

"It  was  a  mistake,  girls!  The  name  was  Grayson — 
only  tlie  difference  of  a  letter.  What  wonder  that  I 
never  thought  of  doubting!  You  remember  how  anx- 
ious I  was  to  leave  that  place  and  to  come  here  at 
once.  It  seemed  as  if  I  could  not  breathe  there  any 
more,  and  that  I  must  get  away  as  quickly  as  possible, 
somewhere,  anywhere,  only  out  of  sight  of  the  place 
where  such  fearful  news  had  come  to  me." 

Then  Gladys  explained  about  Mr.  Crescent  coming 
in  that  afternoon,  and  in  the  course  of  conversation 
accidentally — is  anything  ever  mere  accident  ? — men- 
tioning that  family  and  the  sad  circumstances;  also  the 
similarity  of  name.  And  how  suddenly  it  had  flashed 
across  her  that  it  was  of  their  father  Mrs.  Smith  had 
spoken,  and  not  of  hers.  But  she  was  determined  to 
have  her  hopes  confirmed  beyond  the  possibility  of  a 
mistake,  and  had  instantly  gone  to  Mrs.  Smith,  who 
had  taken  all  doubt  away. 

"And  O,  girls!  I  never  can  tell  you  what  the 
blessed  relief  is!  Nothing  now  can  ever  make  me  un- 
happy again,  I  verily  believe.  I  thank  God  with  my 
whole  heart,  and  will  never  cease  thanking  Him  for 
His  goodness." 

"Dear  Gladys,"  said  Kudora,  wiping  away  her  joy- 
ful tears,  "we,  too,  are  very  happy  and  most  thank- 
ful." 

"But,  O  Gladys,"  said  Kdna,  "why  didn't  you  tell 
us?  It  might  have  been  cleared  up  long  ago.  For, 


A  CHRISTIAN   OPTIMIST.  239 

of  course,  Mr.  Crescent  would  have  known;  he  was 
with  father  when  he  died.  I  wonder  you  didn't  rpeak 
to  him  about  it." 

"Over  and  over  I  was  on  the  point  of  doing  so — of 
asking  him  some  question  regarding  it — but  each  time 
I  shrank  from  hearing  the  dreadful  particulars,  fear- 
ing his  answers  would  only  add  to  my  torture,  how- 
ever he  might  try  to  evade  the  truth.  But  we  must 
not  leave  him  any  longer  in  the  store.  I  want  to 
thank  him  for  what  he  has  done  for  me  to-day. ' ' 

Then  she  kissed  her  sisters  again. 

'  'Thank  you  both  so  much  for  all  your  patient  good- 
ness to  me.  It  has  not  been  thrown  away,  ungrateful 
as  I  must  have  appeared  at  times. ' ' 

Entering  the  store,  she  went  straight  over  to  Mr. 
Crescent,  who  had  risen  to  receive  her,  and  held  out 
both  her  hands  impulsively. 

"How  can  I  ever  thank  you,  dear  friend,  for  bring- 
ing me  such  happiness!  If  it  had  not  been  for  what 
you  said  to-day  I  might  never  have  known  the 
truth—" 

She  paused  abruptly,  for  something  in  his  manner 
startled  her  back  into  the  dignity  from  which  joyous 
excitement  had  deprived  her  for  the  moment.  She 
was  about  to  withdraw  her  hands,  but  he  held  them 
fast. 

"How  can  you  thank  me,  my  dear  Miss  Gladys? 
Very  easily.  Just  leave  these  little  hands  altogether 
in  my  keeping,  and  give  me  the  right  henceforward  to 
see  to  it  that  no  sorrow  can  come  to  you  unshared  by 
me.  And  all  that  love  can  do  to  avert  such  sorrow 


240  A   BUSINESS  VENTURE;    OR, 

and  multiply  your  joys  shall  be  done  by  me,  as  God 
shall  give  me  life  and  strength  to  do  it." 

And  this  time  Gladys  did  not  turn  away! 

That  night  she  told  it  all  to  Eudora. 

"It  is  only  what  I  have  long  been  expecting,  dear 
Gladys,"  said  her  sister,  after  loving  congratulations. 
"And  I  am  very,  very  glad." 

"And  he  is  not  so  old,  either,"  said  Gladys.  "And 
he  looks  ever  so  much  younger  than  his  age. ' ' 

"Yes,  indeed,"  replied  Eudora,  "I  never  think  of 
him  as  being  old  at  all." 

"But,  Eudora,  I  want  to  tell  you,  that  now  I  see  it 
is  all  true — what  you  have  constantly  said.  Even  this 
dreadful  trouble  has  been  all  for  the  best.  Everything 
that  I  used  to  fret  over  before — our  poverty,  our  posi- 
tion in  various  ways,  even  the  loss  of  our  dear  father, 
now  seem  so  light  in  comparison  with  what  I  thought 
was  the  dreadful  reality.  Then,  I  don't  think  I  shall 
ever  be  proud,  as  I  once  was.  That  awful  remem- 
brance will  be  a  check  upon  me  while  life  lasts.  So 
that  I  can  now  truly  say  with  you,  everything  has 
been  for  the  best,  and  I  am  heartily  thankful  for  it  all! 
Then  there  is  one  other  thing  I  want  to  say  to  you.  Of 
course,  I  have  always  said  my  prayers,  and  since  this 
trouble,  I  have  many  times  asked  the  I^ord  to  help  me. 
But  I  see  now  that  they  were  only  half-hearted  prayers. 
I  did  not  really  believe  that  any  relief  could  possibly 
come  to  me.  But  this  afternoon,  just  before  Mr. 
Crescent  came  in,  the  pain  was  terrible — it  seemed  to 
be  pressing  out  my  very  life — I  felt  I  could  no  longer 
bear  it.  Suddenly,  it  flashed  across  me  that  there 
must  be  help  in  God  for  helpless  sufferers,  and  I  verily 


A   CHRISTIAN    OPTIMIST.  241 

believe  for  the  first  time  in  my  life,  I  threw  my  whole 
heart  into  a  cry  for  that  help  to  come  to  me." 

For  all  answer,  Eudora  opened  her  little  Bible  and 
read  for  their  nightly  portion  the  words  which  have 
borne  the  thanksgivings  of  millions  of  happy  hearts  as 
on  wings  to  Heaven: 

"I  will  bless  the  Lord  at  all  times:  His  praise  shall 
continually  be  in  my  mouth.  .  .  O  magnify  the 
I^ord  with  me,  and  let  us  exalt  His  Name  together.  I 
sought  the  Lord  and  He  heard  me,  and  delivered  me 
from  all  my  fears.  .  .  Gracious  is  the  Lord  and 
righteous:  yea,  our  God  is  merciful.  .  .  Return 
unto  thy  rest,  O  my  soul,  for  tne  Lord  hath  dealt 
bountifully  with  thee.  For  Thou  hast  delivered  my 
soul  from  death,  mine  eyes  from  tears,  and  my  feet 
from  falling.  I  will  walk  before  the  Lord  in  the  land 
of  the  living.  .  .  O  give  thanks  unto  the  Lord,  for 
He  is  good,  for  His  mercy  endureth  forever." 

Two  mornings  after,  as  Edna  opened  the  store,  she 
noticed  a  small  parcel  on  the  counter.  Taking  it  up, 
she  read  on  the  back,  "The  missing  money.  All 
things  come  to  him  who  knows  how  to  wait." 

She  opened  the  package  in  a  great  state  of  excite- 
ment. There  was  the  sum  of  sixty-seven  dollars — 
the  exact  amount  of  what  she  had  lost.  Rushing  into 
the  kitchen  where  her  sisters  were  busy,  "What  do 
you  suppose  I  have  found  ?  "  she  blurted  out,  holding 
the  parcel  behind  her  back.  "Guess  quickly,  girls — 
do  guess  quickly."  Then,  as  they  hesitated,  she 
could  no  longer  contain  herself. 

"The  money!  Every  cent  of  the  sixty-seven  dollars! 
Lying  this  way  on  the  counter!  Here  it  is  all  come 


242  A   BUSINESS   VENTURE;    OR, 

back  to  me!     Just  as  I  had  become  content  to  give  it 
up,  and  to  be  quite  happy  without  it!" 

When  Mr.  Crescent  came  that  evening,  and  Edna 
eagerly  questioned  him  regarding  the  recovered  treas- 
ure, she  could  get  no  satisfaction  from  him. 

"Be  content  with  the  fact  that  the  money  is  yours 
again,  my  dear  child.  Curiosity  is  said  to  be  an  at- 
tribute of  woman,  but  she  is  much  better  without  it. 
And  now  I  have  something  of  importance  to  tell 
you.  I  am  acquainted  with  one  of  the  bankers  of  this 
city.  Yesterday  he  told  me  that  their  lady  stenogra- 
pher was  shortly  to  be  married,  and  that  they  would 
be  glad  to  supply  her  place  with  any  one  I  would 
recommend  to  them.  So  begin  at  once  on  your  lessons 
in  stenography,  Miss  Edna.  I  have  ascertained  that 
with  ordinary  ability  and  close  study  one  can  master 
the  art  in  about  three  months.  That  will  be  the  time 
when  the  present  stenographer  leaves,  and  I  think  I 
may  safely  give  your  name  as  applicant  for  the  po- 
sition. ' ' 

Edna  had  been  looking  delighted  while  Mr.  Cres- 
cent was  speaking;  now  a  shade  of  soberness  passed 
over  her  countenance. 

"But  what  will  become  of  the  store  in  the  mornings, 
Mr.  Crescent?  For  if  I  am  to  be  ready  so  soon,  I 
must  give  my  whole  attention  to  it." 

"It  has  occurred  to  me,"  said  Mr.  Crescent,  "that 
it  would  be  an  act  of  charity,  as  well  as  a  convenience 
to  you,  if  you  should  employ  one  of  the  young  ladies 
whose  name  so  closely  resembles  your  own,  to  act  as 
your  clerk  in  the  store.  She  might  thus  be  learning 
the  business;  and  possibly,  eventually,  if  you  should 


A   CHRISTIAN   OPTIMIST.  243 

be  successful  in  the  bank,  she  might  buy  you  out,  and 
become  the  proprietor  of  this  grand  establishment! 
Of  course,  in  that  case,  the  mother  and  sister  would 
also  come  here  to  live. ' ' 

"And  where  should  we  go?"  asked  Edna,  in  sur- 
prise. She  had  not  yet  been  informed  of  the  new  ar- 
rangement. 

"Well,"  replied  Mr.  Crescent,  with  one  of  his  funny 
looks,  "I  think  a  change  of  residence  will  be  in  order 
about  that  time,  and  I  shall  take  it  upon  myself  to  see 
that  none  of  you  suffer  by  the  change. ' ' 

Here  for  the  present  the  story  ends. 

But  a  chorus  of  voices  is  asking:  Did  Mr.  Ernest 
come  back  when  the  three  months  were  over?.  He  did. 
And  was  Eudora — no  more  questions,  dear  readers. 
This  is  not  a  strictly  so-called  love  story,  and  if  you 
insist  on  further  particulars,  you  can  follow  Edna's 
example  and  draw  upon  your  own  imagination  to  any 
extent  desired. 

But  be  very  sure  that,  whatever  in  after  life  befell 
Eudora,  it  was  the  very  best  befalling  that  could  pos- 
sibly be  hers.  And  may  we  not  believe  that,  when  her 
work  here  below  was  over,  she  would  in  that  Higher 
Sphere  resume  and  finish  the  song  so  loved  on  earth — 
"Surely  goodness  and  mercy  shall  follow  me  all  the 
days  of  my  life,  and  I  will  dwell  in  the  House  of  the 
forever. ' ' 

THE)    END. 


